Secrets Abound
by DameM
Summary: The Inutachi and the "Substitue Group."  These two groups know how to keep secrets and protect their loved ones from evil.  Unfortunately, trust is in short supply, as they'll soon learn.
1. The Substitute Group

_A/N: I had a request for a crossover. As I had been working on one on and off for months, I decided to try my hand at it. This one won't be updated nearly as often as the others until at least one of those is finished. Please let me know what you think._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach and Inuyasha characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al. and Rumiko Takahashi et al. respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Part One: The Substitute Group_

Going to a shrine was not Ichigo and Rukia's idea of a fun time. There were plenty around Karakura so neither Shinigami saw the necessity of traveling to the heart of Tokyo just to see another. However, their history teacher had found out about the Sunset Shrine through a relative and as it had several legends surrounding it that she had never heard about before, she had found it the perfect place to take them for a cultural outing.

Participation was a must and since Ichigo and his friends had missed a great deal of class lately thanks to the Winter War, their advancement to second years was contingent on them going. Rukia had tried to argue that she had no real need to as she wasn't a teenager but the others had just overrode her objections and steamrolled her into going. Using the memory modifier was not an option.

"Shunpo would have been faster," she grumbled as she sat in the third train seat of the day. Karakura was a suburb of Tokyo but in order to get to the heart of the large capital, they'd had to switch trains twice.

"I have a feeling _driving_ would have been faster," Ichigo returned. They had started out at the earliest possible moment, taking the first available train into the city. In his opinion, taking a bus would have been more logical but their teachers had never seemed logical to him.

"What is so important about this shrine?" she asked, glancing over at the Quincy across the aisle from them.

"According to this, the shrine boasts a tree that is over five hundred years old and a well that was said to eat the bones of demons." Ishida looked up from the brochure in his hand long enough to answer her before going back to his perusal. "I doubt the validity of the latter, but it is quite possible for the tree to be that old."

"An old tree and a dry well, is that it?" Ichigo asked. He'd been slaying a Hollow when their teacher had told them the tales and no one had bothered to fill him in on the details.

"Oh, no Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said, leaning over Ishida. The archer's face turned red at her proximity. "Sensei said that demons protect the shrine and have since the Sengoku Jidai. The Sunset Shrine is said to have been the place where the Shikon no Tama was kept until an evil demon stole it and tried to use it for, well, evil. The priestess at the time gave her life to protect it and it disappeared for years. No one knows just where it went but the story says that it reappeared decades later and another battle was fought over it. The jewel shattered into hundreds of pieces and each shard could grant strength and power to whoever possessed it. Only gathering the shards together and purifying it would take it from this world forever. It says here that only the right wish could to that but it doesn't say what that wish was. Maybe the priest tells the whole story as part of his tour. I bet there's a love story involved." The Rikka wielder sighed longingly, still not noticing the Quincy's embarrassment.

"No doubt you are correct, Inoue-san," Ishida said just so that she would move.

"I bet there were fights, and friends, just like what we went through," she continued, finally sitting back in her seat.

"It would be a sad thing if another group of friends had to go through something like what we did," Ichigo said, putting his headphones on and turning his music up. "This world really doesn't need two Aizens."

"True," Chad agreed, his seatmate silent the entire time. Tatsuki hadn't been as outgoing as she had been after facing the madman.

Rukia, who had turned quiet at the mention of the Shikon no Tama, pulled out her pager and sent a query to the Institute of Research and Development. The mention of the jewel had rung a vague bell but during the Feudal Era many things had been left out of the records in favor of getting as many souls crossed over as possible. Far too many had been lost.

Ichigo, used to her pensive moods, merely raised a brow at her actions. When he would have asked why she was sending a request for information to the Soul Society, the train pulled into the station and the class started to disembark. "Let's go, Rukia. That can wait. If you don't stay close, you'll get lost or hurt trying to get through here."

The petite young woman gave him a glare that would have made anyone else quake in fear but the daiko merely grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Exiting the station, the first years of Karakura High School stopped on the street while their chaperones, which merely consisted of their homeroom teachers, discussed the best way to the shrine.

"Do you feel that, Kurosaki?" Ishida asked, straightening his jacket.

"Yeah, there's some sort of reiatsu in that direction," he said, unable to pinpoint it. The energy radiating from the south wasn't like that of the Shinigami and Arrancar that he had met over the last year.

"I've never known the shrines and temples in Karakura to actually have reiatsu," Rukia murmured.

"They don't, but then again, there's nothing really special about them either. This is different. Maybe you ought to call the Soul Society and have them investigate the situation." Sighing, Ichigo began to follow the rest of the group. He really wished he didn't have to get involved in anything dangerous at the moment. The orange haired war hero had been hoping for a day without fighting or Hollow extermination.

"I have already sent in the information on the jewel and the legend it has. No doubt they will investigate thoroughly."

Ishida exchanged a look with Ichigo that stated they doubted it but didn't say anything to disillusion her confidence in the R&D department. "Well, I guess the only thing we can do is keep an eye out."

"Indeed." The group, now on high alert, stretched their senses to take in what information they could until the Soul Society consented to give them something else to go on. There were no ill intentions that they could determine in the strange aura but as they came closer to the shrine, the energy rose tenfold.

An old priest, reminding Ichigo of the soutaicho in the way he stood, waited at the top of the stairs for them when they arrived. No reiatsu came from him and he was slightly surprised. He would have thought that a priest of a famous shrine would have at least a little power.

"Listen up you lazy kids, this is Higurashi-san. He's the priest here at the Sunset Shrine and the one that will be giving us the tour. Make sure to be respectful." A chorus of "Yes, ma'ams" followed Ochi-sensei's order and she turned back to the old man in satisfaction.

"He doesn't have an ounce of reiatsu," Rukia said, confused.

"The aura I'm sensing is further back," Ishida answered. "Just because he's a priest, doesn't mean he'd have any spiritual power. While it does tend to run in families, it has been known to skip generations or siblings. Kurosaki's sister Yuzu is a perfect example. She has some but not nearly as much as this fool and his sister Karin."

While Rukia agreed, she was secretly glad that Yuzu wasn't as spiritually aware as her brother and sister. The young girl got frightened enough by what she couldn't see, there was no telling how terrified she'd be if she was actually able to see the Hollows and other monsters that came after her family.

Sticking close together, the gang wandered further onto the property and gazed around expectantly. In the middle of the courtyard was the famous tree, towering above every other thing. A throat being cleared drew their attention back to their host.

"This is our most prized possession. Over five hundred years old, this is our tree. It's known most appropriately as the Goshinboku." Some of their classmates clapped and "ooh'd" appreciatively but the Substitute Group merely stared in awe. The power emanating from the ancient tree was unmistakable.

Before they could question the priest, a tall young man dropped down from the nearest branch, his silver white hair blowing in the breeze. "Oi, Jijii, I thought you promised Kagome you would wait for her."

While the priest turned to argue with the stranger, Ichigo and the others began to feel the pressure of another kind of energy, this one entirely foreign in nature. "Ichigo…" Rukia murmured, clutching at his sleeve when she felt him stiffen beside her.

"I know," the daiko answered. Whoever this person was, he most definitely was _not_ human.

What in the world had they gotten themselves into?


	2. The Inutachi

_A/N: A small number to thank for reviews: __**Elrond-76**__, __**MaN610v3r**__, __**Melibells**__, __**Rukia's**__**Reflection**__, __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__, and __**Rabe Addler**__. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. _

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach and Inuyasha characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al and Rumiko Takahashi et al respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Part Two: The Inutachi_

Inuyasha stared at the small group of supernaturally gifted high school students and had to refrain from snorting. Who did they think they were kidding? Anyone with the smallest amount of spiritual or demonic power could tell that they were no ordinary humans. The tall, orange haired teen with what seemed like a permanent scowl on his face was looking him straight in the eye as if daring him to challenge their right to be there.

The half dog demon failed to realize that he was looking at a carbon copy of himself at that age. Higurashi-jijii was still lecturing him in one ear and he was thankful that he had a bandana on. Normally he would have simply worn a concealment charm but as his brother had pointed out when he'd called the younger Taisho at the ungodly early hour of fourth thirty in the morning, since these children had saved the world, there was little doubting that they had enough power to see through even the strongest of Shippou's illusions. Better to go with the tried and true method of covering the ears with a bandana rather than risk exposure.

Five hundred years ago when they'd defeated the evil half demon Naraku and destroyed the Shikon Jewel for good, they'd thought that they would never have to worry about a great threat to the world ever again. Sango had set aside her demon slaying profession in favor of gifting the perverted monk Miroku a family and he'd settled down with Kagome once she'd returned to him three years after the Final Battle. Shippou had often left the village to work on his fox magic and Kirara had gone with Sango's brother Kohaku to teach him and protect him as she'd done with the elder taijiya. The fire cat was nothing if not loyal. Inuyasha's brother Sesshoumaru had left his "adopted" daughter, Rin, in his village so that she could grow up in relative safety while the demon lord had gone on to conquer other youkai tribes and land.

Human wars had raged around them and eventually they'd realized something eerie. The humans of Inuyasha's group were not aging. Neither the elder priestess Kaede nor Sesshoumaru could explain why; however, they'd come to the same conclusion. Exposure to large amounts of _youki_ must have at some point altered their aging process. The aristocratic dog demon had even accused his younger half-brother of performing some sort of clan ritual to ensure that he'd never be alone again.

Thankfully when Inuyasha had looked at him in total incomprehension, Sesshoumaru had realized how foolish such an accusation was. With only a warning never to go against the clan head's rule, the older of Inutaisho's two sons had left them in peace.

Until Kagome's time drew near. Then he had used every bit of knowledge she'd possessed to establish himself in the human business world. Becoming rich in that way helped hide the existence of youkai from the world. However, just because they hid, didn't mean they didn't know about Shinigami and Hollows. Having seen what the creatures were capable of, Sesshoumaru had done as much research as he could without exposing them to the unknown beings.

Then, almost a year ago all Hades had broken lose in a suburb on the outskirts of Tokyo. The team assigned to watch the city and monitor the comings and goings of Shinigami were alerted to the awakened powers of Ichigo Kurosaki. They'd investigated what they could and stood by in hopes that the Taisho clan would not have to interfere. The inutachi had feared that another Naraku had been born and that the young people fighting him and his minions would not be able to succeed.

Luckily they were proven wrong and had quietly returned to their normal lives, their presence during the Winter War undetected by all those involved. So now, when Inuyasha had heard from the old priest that the first years from Karakura High were coming there, he'd known that his brother was going to have a fit. And he had. The Sunset Shrine held too many secrets for teenagers who could see passed illusions created by demons to visit. The God Tree still exuded a power all its own and the Bone Eater's Well, while no longer a time portal, was still of enough interest thanks to Higurashi-jijii's "legends," to make curious students push the envelope. Those two things alone would not have been enough to disturb the usually unflappable Taiyoukai of Japan but Kurosaki and his friends held powers that the demon lord did not fully understand. Keeping the demon world a secret from outsiders was something Sesshoumaru wanted to maintain at all costs. He did not like the fact that the Shinigami held powers that he himself did not know how to counteract.

In order to smooth things over, Inuyasha had agreed to stay at the shrine while Kagome attended her university classes. Kagome in turn had promised her brother-in-law that she would oversee the touring group of high school students so that her grandfather didn't inadvertently spill the beans. Something the half dog demon was not altogether sure the elder Higurashi was capable of stopping himself from doing.

"Oi, Jijii, it looks like a bigger crowd than you thought. Why don't I take a smaller group and let you show the rest the shrine itself." Inuyasha gestured towards the "Substitute Group," their auras of mistrust very much apparent to his demon nose.

"Well…" the priest began but was interrupted by the smooth "salesman" voice of Miroku.

"Please, sir, allow us to help. We're just as knowledgeable about the shrine and its grounds. It would make telling all those wonderful tales so much easier." The monk and his wife stood behind the class, their smiles open and friendly. Violet eyes met gold over the heads of the students and Inuyasha nodded his head in silent thanks. Obviously Kagome had called for backup.

"That's right, Higurashi-jiisan. I'd like to tell a few," a young male voice came from the house. Standing in the kitchen doorway was Shippou, the fox demon's emerald eyes shining with mischief. His auburn hair glinted in the sunlight. Kagome's mother stood behind him, worry in her eyes.

"Do let them help, Father," she said; her normal cheerfulness missing.

"Oh, all right. Ochi-sensei, you seem like a sensible sort. You break them up into groups," the old man said. He knew he couldn't win with so many against him taking charge.

"Good, I'll take this group," Inuyasha said. He would take the ones with power away from the others. While his friends had strength and power of their own, he was their leader when all was said and done. He'd take on the more dangerous of the teens if necessary. "Follow me and we'll begin at the old well house."

Kurosaki and his friends followed silently, their tense behavior telling him that they wanted to know exactly what he was and why the God Tree had spiritual powers. Inuyasha wasn't going to give over any information that he didn't receive in return. "Now then, do you have any questions? Is there a particular story you would like to hear?"

The orange haired daiko straightened his slouched posture and cleared his throat. "We want to know what you are."

Inuyasha smiled meaningfully, allowing the group to see his fangs. The girls and one boy gasped in surprise while the others took a stance that the half demon knew all too well. "It's quid pro quo, kid. You tell, I tell."

The dark haired boy with glasses opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the loud roar of a Hollow echoing over the shrine grounds. Normally the shrine boasted a barrier that kept most evil spirits and demons at bay but Kagome hadn't had time that morning to reinforce it so the Hollow was able to fly right over their heads. "I've got it," the lanky teen said, summoning a bow made of spiritual energy and made to shoot it down.

Another arrow, this one surrounded by pure _reiki_ beat him to it and purified the blighted soul. "I suggest, Quincy, that you begin learning how to purify rather than destroy." Kagome's cool and patient voice reached Inuyasha's ears, allowing the half dog demon to relax somewhat.

"How did you…"

"We know quite a bit, Uryuu Ishida. Unfortunately for you, it is not enough to satisfy my brother-in-law. And as the Taiyoukai of Japan, his opinion is the only one that matters in our world." Priestess' robes blew in the gentle breeze, clearly telling all those who cared to look who she was, and Kagome smiled warmly at the gathering of wary teens. The orange haired adolescent was sporting a look that her husband had often worn during the Feudal Era and still did upon occasion. Resisting the urge to sigh, the Miko no Shikon prepared herself.

This was going to take a while.


	3. Let's Introduce Ourselves

_A/N: I didn't think this one would get so many reviews: "__**Tem**__," __**Bleached-Whale**__, __**Nocturna Mae**__, "__**moonlight archer**__," __**KitElizaKing**__, __**Rabe Addler**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**Dark Inu Fan**__, "__**Gill**__," __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__, and __**Mocha Turtle**__. And thank you to everyone who put this or its author on their lists. Here's hoping that this continues to be enjoyable._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Let's Introduce Ourselves_

The "Substitute Group" gazed at the miko and white haired stranger in trepidation as they led them into a dark well house. Once the door was slid shut, the two faced the teens with serious faces. "Perhaps we should start by introducing ourselves," the dark haired woman said, picking up an old bow that sat next to a dry well.

"Keh," her counterpart commented.

"That'd be nice," Ichigo growled, earning a threatening one in return from the man in the red kimono.

"Watch your tongue, pup. No one speaks to my wife like that."

"Inuyasha," Kagome gently rebuked. "I'll start, as we seem to be overrun by possessive and stubborn males. My name is Kagome Higurashi Taisho. I am known in my world as the Miko no Shikon. This is my husband Inuyasha Taisho. Inuyasha, as you've realized has an _energy_ signature that is distinctly different from us humans."

"He isn't human," Ishida pointed out.

Kagome smiled softly, grasping Inuyasha's hand tightly. "He's half human," she corrected.

"Like Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked, confused. "He's technically half Shinigami."

"No, not like your friend. Inuyasha is half dog demon. His father was the Lord of the Western Lands, centuries ago. The Inutaisho was a demon of great strength that fell in love with a human. Inuyasha was the result. His older brother, Sesshoumaru rules over every demon here in Japan."

Chad's brows furrowed, confusion entering gently brown eyes. "Centuries? Then Taisho-san is…"

"Roughly seven hundred years old."

"That's impossible!" Rukia protested. "Mortals can't live for centuries."

"Keh, who said I was mortal? You should know, Shinigami. You've been sending messages to your superiors ever since you got here." Inuyasha watched the shock come over the short girl's face. "Demons are real. According to reports that were sent to Sesshoumaru, one of them even became a Shinigami. Apparently death can turn demonic energy into spiritual energy."

"A demon Shinigami…?" Ichigo trailed off. "That fox guy captain."

"It makes sense," Ishida said. "Komamura-san is distinctly different from everyone else. Plus, if Hollow energy can work with Shinigami energy without cancelling each other out, it's not so farfetched. Energy never disappears; it just changes into other forms of energy. Oh, and he's an anamorphic wolf, Kurosaki, not a fox." The Vizard shrugged, not seeing the importance of being corrected. They had bigger things to worry about.

"I don't understand," Rukia questioned. "Komamura-taicho has spoken of his father before. If he had died and then gone to the Soul Society, would he not have forgotten?"

"Demons have long memories but anything's possible. We've come to learn that," Kagome said, interrupting the teens' discussion. "Now that we've introduced ourselves, perhaps you should do the same."

"Why bother, you already seem to know," Ichigo grouched.

"Of course, Kurosaki. Did you think that we'd ignore a fifteen year old who poured out _reiki_ like water from a faucet? We felt your first transformation all the way here." Maybe introducing themselves was a bit redundant.

"He never could control it," Ishida muttered, earning a jab from Orihime for being impolite. Tatsuki snickered under her breath, earning a small smirk from Inuyasha.

"Power houses usually have one or two things that are beyond their control," Kagome said humorously. "Anyway, we kept a close eye on what was going on all throughout the war. Thankfully, there was no need to step in and help. I wish to commend you and your friends for succeeding."

"Aizen's not dead, just locked away." Ichigo's eyes became dark with memories. "I couldn't kill him."

"All things in due time." The priestess smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure that eventually someone will come up with a way to reverse his immortality."

"Since you seem to know all about us, shouldn't you tell us about you guys?" Tatsuki placed her hands on her hips, taking a battle stance her friends knew well. Keigo and Mizuiro who'd been silent the whole time, shifted uneasily. Their memories of the war were vague but enough that they knew to be wary.

"Ah, yes, I apologize for digressing. Our story starts over five hundred years ago with the creation of the Shikon no Tama. I'm sure that somewhere in your history, Kuchiki-san, you have the tale written down."

"I've read part of it, but not all. The war to decide its fate was during the Feudal Era and I'm afraid records were not kept as carefully they should have been."

"The jewel was created when a powerful priestess trapped several demonic souls and her own and pushed her soul of her being. The battle raged for centuries within the jewel. During those years the jewel changed hands, going back and forth between being pure and being corrupted. Finally, it was passed on to my incarnation Kikyo. She met Inuyasha and together they were going to put an end to the jewel. Until they were betrayed." The mention of reincarnation didn't faze any of the teens so she kept on with her tale. Between the battles and the romance, it wasn't long before every one of them was hooked on the story.

"So it's gone," Rukia whispered.

"Oh, yeah, it disintegrated into pretty pink sparks." Pride laced Inuyasha's voice as he pulled Kagome closer. "That's what really earned Kagome the title of Priestess of the Shikon Jewel. She's carried it ever since."

"Too much information!" Keigo cried. The two leading members of the inutachi exchanged puzzled glances before looking to Ichigo for information.

"Ignore him, he's an idiot."

"I see." Inuyasha shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first idiot I've met."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded, a light laugh in her voice.

"Ichigo, you're so cruel!" Fake sobs filled the old house. A fist to the face shut the sandy brown haired almost sixteen year old up and for that Inuyasha was thankful.

"Shut it, Keigo."

"Now then, Kurosaki, why don't _you_ explain just what you are. Your spiritual power is too dark for you to be completely human or Shinigami. You almost smell like a demon." Inuyasha straightened, touching his sheathed sword lightly; making it known that it wasn't a request.

"Power wise, Kurosaki is a Vizard. He developed Hollow powers when he regained his Shinigami powers. In order to save himself, he trained to take control. Without the powers, Aizen would have won." Ishida gave out the information clinically.

"Hey! Stop giving our secrets away, Ishida!" Ichigo objected.

"It's pointless to withhold information, Kurosaki. In case you hadn't noticed, we're at a distinct disadvantage. They know more about us than we do about them. What I know about demons could fit in a thimble. I doubt our powers would be very effective on Taisho-san, all things considered."

"Power is power, kid. You're the brains of the group, aren't you?"

Kagome stayed silent, observing the collection of teenagers. The taller of the raven haired girls and the one called Keigo were listening but didn't add too much in the way of contributions to the conversation, and the teen messaging on his phone wasn't even paying attention. They emitted reiatsu but didn't have the power the other five did.

"I am the top ranked student in our year."

"Yeah, but you're a strategist. This one likes to rush into a fight, doesn't he?" Inuyasha asked, pointing to Ichigo.

"Gee, I wonder why that sounds familiar," Kagome murmured but knew he'd catch her words.

"Are you saying age doesn't mellow a reckless fool?" Rukia asked fearfully. The white haired demon seemed to be the type to jump into things without thinking. If he was nearly seven hundred years old, that didn't bode well for Ichigo's temperament down the road.

"_Hey_!" the two male protagonists yelped indignantly. Their combined protest only made them glower at each other.

"Depends on what you mean by 'age'" Kagome returned. Chronological age didn't always match up to mental age. The two Taisho brothers were proof enough of that.

Rukia hummed under her breath meditatively. "I don't suppose you could teach me how to train him?" she asked, looking at the tall orange haired teen at her side.

"I suppose," the priestess started. "Inuyasha learned through a painful process involving a kotodama rosary." The mention of the old "collar" made the half dog demon flinch.

"What's the matter, midget, is hitting me not enough?" Ichigo questioned.

"Don't call me 'midget'!"

The married couple watched as the two Shinigami began to argue, the smaller of the two abusing the male physically to drive her point home. Their friends merely stood to one side, equal parts amusement and exasperation in their expressions.

"You know," Inuyasha began conversationally. "This suddenly reminds me of our courtship. Should we break it up?"

"Are you kidding? The last time we saw something this interesting was when Miroku was still courting Sango." Kagome put her bow back against the well and sat on the edge to watch.

It was always funnier to witness an argument between two people in love when it wasn't them.


	4. Two of a Kind

_A/N: A small group to thank for reviews: __**TequilaMan**__, __**Nocturna Mae**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**elrond-76**__, __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__, __**Yumiko21**__, and __**Rabe Addler**__. And thank you to everyone who put this or its author on their lists. I've added the names of the major villains in the movies and animes of both series in this chapter for a dose of comedy but you don't have to have seen them to understand. Enjoy._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Two of a Kind_

Kagome and Inuyasha waited for the arguing couple to stop, almost surprised at how long the two could go without noticing that the spectacle was being witness by complete strangers. A knock on the door of the well house abruptly ended the tirade, the shorter of the Shinigami straightening her uniform before giving her partner one last kick in the shins.

"Kagome-chan, is everything all right?" a woman's voice floated in, the sliding door cracking open so that the newcomer could see in.

"Yes, Mama. We'll be done here shortly. How is Grandpa holding up?"

"You know Father, he's having a ball." The priestess' mother smiled at the group of adolescents before leaving her daughter and son-in-law to their task.

Chad watched the woman leave, consideration on his normal placid face. "You have aged liked your husband," he said, the first real comment he'd given.

"Keh, of course. It's a part of the mating ritual. Let's get back to the topic. You came here to see the shrine because it has legends attached to it. We're here to make sure you're not a threat to society." The last was directed at Ichigo.

"The Hollow within is subdued," Rukia shot back, once more on the war hero's side. "Ichigo trained hard to make sure it won't hurt anyone."

The half demon raised a dark brow, amused at how fast she had leapt to his defense. Just like another wench he knew. "Good, keep it that way. Just because your archenemy is imprisoned, doesn't mean others won't come to try to take his place. We don't need another Naraku." Dark memories clouded the married warriors' eyes and they were silent for several moments.

"Do the nightmares ever end?" Tatsuki asked softly, gripping her elbows with the opposite hand.

"Not really," Kagome answered regretfully. "The only thing you can do is talk about it with others that experienced the same thing and remember that you're alive and safe. They'll get less and less as the years pass."

"Tatsuki-chan…" Orihime whispered, putting an arm around her friend.

"You can run the whole thing over in your mind again and again, kid, but it won't change what happened. People died, others got hurt, that's war. Trying to pretend otherwise only negates the sacrifice that they had to endure."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded. "That sounded cold. You'd better watch it or you'll start acting like your brother."

"Not a chance."

"I should have rejected Aizen's existence or something," the flower spirit wielder said mournfully.

"No, Inoue-san. To do so might have changed history so that something worse happened. Playing with Time is never a good idea. Aizen was meant to do evil things so that you warriors could come together. He thought he was the genius when all along Fate was pulling the strings. Truthfully, my friends and I are a bit old to be running around saving the world. I can tell by your auras that you're good kids and will make fine adults. With some training, I think you could make even better guardians of the world."

"You make it sound like we're old geezers, Kagome," Inuyasha complained. "Besides, the last time I got to use Tetsusaiga was during World War II. It isn't like there are a lot of demons powerful enough to give the others trouble."

Ishida lifted a brow at the grousing demon and figured he was one of those that liked a good fight. "You wish _us_ to take over your demon slaying duties?" he asked.

"No, just the 'saving the world' duties. That is of course, if you meet Sesshoumaru's approval. Now then, why don't I give you the grand tour?"

"Wait a minute," Ichigo stalled, holding out a hand to stop her. "We already have duties. We can't just take on more. I can barely keep up with my studies as it is."

"Oh, this wouldn't be all the time. Just when an "End of the World" villain shows up. It's really not that often, now is it?" Kagome smiled until she saw the incredulous look on the others' faces. "Oh, come on. How many times have you had to save the world from annihilation?"

"Kagome, have you forgotten the others we faced while Naraku was still hanging around? There was Menomaru…"

"That was in the Feudal Era, Inuyasha."

"And Kaguya," he continued.

"Again, five hundred years ago."

"Takemaru and Sou'unga, plus the Four War Gods…"

"Oh, all right so there were a lot of arch villains then. Not so now, right, children?" The miko turned her eyes to the group of teens who were shifting uncomfortably. "Don't tell me we missed something."

"I'm afraid there have been quite a few people wanting to destroy at least one of the dimensions," Rukia answered. "Besides Aizen, there was Kariya," she began to list.

"And Muramasa," Ichigo supplied. "He wasn't above destroying everything and everyone to free his master, Koga."

"Do not forget Gariryu and Shuren," Ishida finished. He pushed his glasses up when he noticed the horror on the older woman's face. He hadn't partaken in the battle with the first man but the second brought back bad memories too.

"I see. We really are getting old," Kagome murmured. "Nii-san isn't going to like it that we were unaware of such battles."

"Indeed," came a baritone voice, the tone thick with ice. As one the teens spun around to look at the intruder, their eyes widening in shock at the tall demon in front of them. Before they had been unaware of Inuyasha's true appearance because of his hidden ears but the charm hiding Sesshoumaru's features was useless against spiritually aware humans.

Ichigo grabbed for Zangetsu, forgetting momentarily that he was still in his body. Rukia tensed beside him and his friends all prepared to call forth their powers. "It's useless, kid. My brother is a lot more powerful than he looks. He'd kill you before you so much as got out of your body."

"Hello, Nii-san. I didn't think you were coming," Kagome laughed nervously, hoping to divert her brother-by-marriage's anger.

"Hn, it seems that we have been lax in our investigations." Cold gold eyes narrowed on the orange haired warrior. "You are their leader. You will tell me everything. Come," Sesshoumaru demanded. Without waiting for an answer, the taiyoukai turned and left the small gathering.

"Hey, you can't just command me to follow you and fork over answers!" Ichigo shouted from the doorway.

Sesshoumaru paused, turning his head to look at Ichigo with the promise of death. "Do not be insolent, pup. It is clear that you are their pack leader, therefore you will give me the answers I seek. The time for secrets is through." Deadly claws began to glow green with poison, the gas floating in the air only centimeters from Ichigo's body.

"Kurosaki, I wouldn't anger him," Ishida said while Keigo and Mizuiro backed up as far as they could without running into Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Ichigo, just go with him," Rukia whispered, fingering her phone. She believed that it was time to call in reinforcements. If this Sesshoumaru was a noble of some kind, perhaps he would relate better to speaking with another aristocrat. Ichigo had never been one to follow protocol very well. His attitude towards authority was going to get him killed one of these days but she didn't want it to be today.

"Perhaps that's best," Kagome seconded. "Inuyasha, go with him. I'll finish giving the tour and then everyone can have lunch."

They watched as Ichigo and Inuyasha followed the elder Taisho, each concerned. "Will they be all right?" Orihime asked hesitantly.

"Oh, sure. Nii-san rarely kills anyone these days."

Somehow, none of the teens were reassured by the priestess' statement.

* * *

><p>Inuyasha entered Kagome's childhood home, leading the way into the living room where Mama Higurashi sat sipping tea and watching TV. She looked up, smiling in welcome at the trio. "Hello, dears. Would anyone like something to drink?"<p>

"Tea, if you wouldn't mind, Okaa-san," the younger dog demon said. Maybe if the other two had something in their hands, they'd be less likely to go at each other's throats.

"Of course. I'll be right back. Make yourselves comfortable." The only female left the room, leaving Ichigo at the mercy of the taiyoukai without a care.

_Make myself comfortable? How the hell am I supposed to do that? _Ichigo sat down carefully, one hand close to his badge. "How can she be so calm?" he asked unconsciously.

"She's used to having demons running around the place. It takes a lot to scare her," Inuyasha answered, flashing back to their first meeting. "I thought she was nuts at first."

"Higurashi-san had the patience of a saint when she put up with your adolescent hide," Sesshoumaru jabbed, although it wasn't as harsh as some of his insults had been in the past.

"Hey, let's not go there. Besides, compared to your mother, everyone else is sane."

"Indeed."

Ichigo watched the banter, confusion making him irritable. "I thought you were brothers."

"Half brothers," they chorused. The unity made it clear they were used to making the distinction.

"I wouldn't want his mother for the world."

"Likewise," the elder returned. The conversation faltered while Mama served them and then turned back to the original topic once she was gone with only a warning not to break anything. "Now then, you may begin," Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Perhaps, Kurosaki, you should allow me to explain. In your rashness, you will most likely forget something."

Ichigo groaned, hoping his imagination was playing tricks on him. Giving a heavy sigh, he turned to look at the newcomer. Byakuya stood in the doorway, unconcerned with the disruption his entrance had caused. "Rukia sent for you, didn't she?"

Sesshoumaru growled lowly, a warning for the intruder to tread lightly. The other man rested his hand on the hilt of his sword in response. "Explain yourself."

"Let me do the introductions," Ichigo offered. This was a disaster in the making. "Taisho-san, meet Byakuya Kuchiki, twenty-eighth head of the Kuchiki clan and captain of the sixth division of the Gotei Thirteen. Byakuya, meet Sesshoumaru Taisho, Taiyoukai of Japan."

"A noble?" Inuyasha squeaked, surprised that his voice could still crack after all this time.

"Oh, yeah. He's Rukia's brother."

"Uptight?"

"Uh-huh."

"Snobbish?"

"You bet."

"Disdainful of 'lower beings?'"

"You better believe it," Ichigo answered.

"As likely to try to kill you as look at you?" came the last fearful question.

"Sadly, yes." A whine followed Ichigo's final answer.

"Good gods, there's two of them," Inuyasha whimpered. Ichigo nodded in silent agreement until what the other man said finally registered. The shocked caused the tea he was trying to swallow to regurgitate, spraying Sesshoumaru's snow white pelt.

"Common as ever, I see," Byakuya said and watched as his sister's friend fell back in a faint, the half demon next to him doing the same. "Hn. Allow me to provide you the answers you seek, Taisho-san," he said, sitting without waiting to be invited.

"Do," Sesshoumaru said, getting a small amount of satisfaction in the way his brother had reacted. It just made up for the tea bath his fur had gotten.

But only just.

* * *

><p>Kagome looked at Rukia in dawning horror as she explained the new spiritual presence. "Your brother is a noble?" she asked cautiously. Turning to the others, she looked her other questions.<p>

Ishida took pity on her and provided the guidance she sought. "Captain Kuchiki is the head of his clan and a captain of a division of Shinigami. Unfortunately, he is quite dedicated to protocol and rules, something that puts him in direct opposition with Kurosaki. He is disdainful of others of lower class who act brash and don't respect titles and nobility. Again, Kurosaki is a prime example. To put it simply, our friend and the captain absolutely hate each other. One believes the other to be rude and childish while the other believes his rival to be cold and emotionless."

"And you let them be in the same room with Inuyasha?" Kagome cried, running across the grounds to the house. Rukia and the others followed, not bothering to answer their teachers' shouts.

The miko flung the living room door open, Rukia ducking under her arm to look. Ichigo and Inuyasha lay on the floor, twitching as if they'd been hit with a direct attack. Sesshoumaru and Byakuya calmly sat across from each other drinking tea and discussing the former's inquiry. "What happened?" she demanded. "Nii-san, what's wrong with Inuyasha?"

The demon lord gazed at the younger two men and gave a small shrug. "I know not," he denied.

"Nii-sama?" Rukia questioned.

"It seems they've suffered a great shock," Byakuya provided, amusement not quite hidden.

Chad exchanged a look with Orihime before gently prying Kagome away from the room. "It seems that finding out there is another person like Captain Kuchiki in the world has startled Ichigo and vice versa for Taisho-san."

"I wouldn't worry, Taisho-san," Ishida soothed. "It takes more than that to kill our friend."

"Quite frankly, I'm not worried about Kurosaki-kun," Kagome said. "Do you have any idea of the rant I'm going to have to listen to when Inuyasha recovers?" The "Substitute Group" looked at each other before nodding.

"If it's anything like the one Ichigo's going to go on, yeah," Rukia shook her head sadly. "You don't happen to have a pair of ear plugs, do you?"

"I think Grandpa sells them in the gift shop," Kagome said although she had no idea why the older Higurashi did such a thing.

"After you," the teens chorused.


	5. It Wasn't a Suggestion

_A/N: A group to thank for reviews: __**Becstar311**__, __**Asezuna**__, __**Martyna1**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__, __**dragonlord1337**__, __**Yumiko21**__, __**Rabe Addler**__, and __**MaN6A10v3r**__. And thank you to everyone who added this or its author to their lists. Wow, two different stories updated in the same day. Enjoy._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_It Wasn't a Suggestion_

The groups were eating lunch when Inuyasha and Ichigo finally regained consciousness. Settled underneath the ancient God Tree, the daiko's friends simply looked at him when he came outside, prepared to stuff plugs in their ears should he begin his normal tirade. When nothing happened, Rukia calmly handed him his lunch and went back to her own meal.

Kagome had sat on the stone bench nearby, her head together with Sango. The two matriarchs laughed quietly about the antics of their children, ignoring the looks she got from the teenagers under their watchful gaze. Inuyasha came up beside them, laying a hand on the priestess' shoulder before sitting at her feet.

Sesshoumaru and Byakuya had long since finished their business and stood around talking while keeping an eye on their younger siblings. An apparent life-long friendship had formed by virtue of their distaste for brash, rude males. Neither had accepted anything beyond tea from Higurashi-san, one not wanting to disquiet the woman by having her serve to a spirit that she couldn't see while the other still refused to eat human food.

Gold eyes narrowed on the interaction between the Shinigami daiko and Byakuya's sister, assessing their closeness. They argued as if it was a form of foreplay, the orange haired teen taking a beating but otherwise not doing physical harm to his partner. Instead he settled for picking on her height and her drawing abilities. Having caught sight of the horrid caricatures earlier, the demon lord couldn't really blame the kid.

"They are betrothed, aren't they?" he comment to the other noble, tilting his head towards the two younger Shinigami.

"Not if I have any say in the matter," Byakuya retorted hotly. "As the head of the clan, I have final say in who my sister marries. A human child who steps on the pride of the Gotei Thirteen is not a fitting match for a Kuchiki princess."

"His scent already covers hers, and vice versa. Their auras blend seamlessly."

The sixth division captain narrowed his eyes dangerously, ready to draw his Zanpakutou. "His scent?" Byakuya questioned, hoping the taiyoukai meant something other than what he thought he meant.

"It is not sexual," Sesshoumaru assured, knowing that that would be the first thought to come to the mind of an older brother. Having raised a girl during the Feudal Era, he knew well the dangers facing a woman of mature years. Thankfully Rin had lived in Kaede's village and been protected by his brother for the most part while he'd been away beating or in some cases killing demons who would have taken her innocence just to get at him. "It is more like he spends a great deal of time around her and doesn't let her go far from him."

"He is protective of her," Byakuya agreed unwillingly. They watched as the "Substitute Group" went en masse to throw away their garbage before sitting back down together. Rukia still sipped from her juice box, something both older men had noticed Ichigo had opened for her.

"In the demon world, his actions would be seen as courting."

"Hn, Ichigo Kurosaki would not know how to court a woman if his life depended on it."

"Sadly, he is not the only one," Sesshoumaru sighed, remembering his brother's actions five hundred years ago. They watched as another argument ensued, this one about Rukia calling in her brother. The others of their group put in ear plugs and tuned them out, instead enjoying the small break they had from both school work and the loud noises of two Shinigami.

"One of these days she's going to hit him too hard and he's going to have brain damage," Byakuya sighed, watching as his sister became too angry at the orange haired war hero to care that her brother was watching her. Normally she held her temper when he was around so that he didn't see her true nature.

"Perhaps it is too late," the taiyoukai mused. "You did say that he invaded the Soul Society to save her from execution."

"Indeed, it would explain a lot," the other aristocrat agreed. It was by a far a better explanation than the suspicion that Ichigo Kurosaki was in love with his sister. And better for his sanity.

* * *

><p>Ichigo picked up Rukia by her waist, holding her away from him so that she couldn't hit him again. "That <em>hurts<em>," he growled.

"Good," the petite warrior spat back. "You deserve it for not appreciating my concern."

"Your _concern_? Your brother now has a friend in this world that's just like him! I already have to put up with Byakuya's disdain; I don't need a double dose from Taisho-san. They both think I'm nothing but a rude, uncouth child."

"I wonder why?" she sniped. "You clearly have no appreciation for your friends."

"Like hell I don't," Ichigo argued back.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, just kiss her already," Inuyasha put in. Several females shot glares at him and he shrugged. "It'll stop the argument, which quite frankly I'm sick of listening to."

"Inuyasha," Kagome admonished. "We should leave them to work things out on their own."

"Why? You never did." Sango laughed softly at the reminder of all the times the miko tried to get her and Miroku together.

Ichigo and Rukia paused in their verbal battle to turn on Inuyasha. "We can settle this ourselves, thank you, Taisho-san," Rukia said, a blush staining her cheeks.

"Sure you can, but I can do it faster. You're angry because you don't think he appreciates the fact that you didn't want my brother to kill him, which is still a possibility by the way, and he's angry because he thinks that you think he can't take care of himself against a strong enemy."

"That's not it!" she cried, shooting her violet gaze to Ichigo's amber one. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm fine, midget," Ichigo said softly, setting her down now that he knew she wouldn't hit him. He placed a large, callused hand on her head and sighed. "I'm young, I'll admit but I can control myself when against those more experienced." He didn't _like_ to hold his temper but he could do it. War had taught him the consequences of letting his anger get the best of him.

Looking at his friends, he noticed that none of them were paying any attention to the discussion taking place not two meters from where they sat. "Oi, don't you guys have anything to say about this?" he asked, confused that they hadn't butted in too.

"They're ignoring us," Rukia said. "They bought ear plugs so that they wouldn't have to listen to you complain about having to talk with both Nii-sama and Taisho-san."

"Am I really that bad?" he asked.

"You both are," Ishida said, taking the plugs out and sighing. "It's like listening to a mad man rant about nonsense. The arguments between you and Kuchiki-san are so routine that they're not even worth listening to anymore."

"Gee, that sounds familiar," a younger male voice said and as one they all looked up to spot the auburn haired young man from earlier. "When I was growing up, these four used to do it on a daily basis. Sometimes more than that." He pointed to the four people who had watched him grow up and gave a fanged smirk.

"Shippou, get out of the Sacred Tree," Kagome demanded lightly. She watched as he jumped down easily, his grace having been learned from the dog demon that'd raised him.

"I was just watching two fools," he answered. "They really are attracted to each other. Oyaji was right; you should have just kissed her." The kitsune grinned at the orange haired teen, watching as embarrassment flooded his cheeks. He was even more fun to tease than Inuyasha had been.

"You press your luck, demon," Byakuya growled, a hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutou.

"Frequently," Sesshoumaru answered, lifting one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Shippou, they're relationship, or lack thereof, is private. Did your father not teach you that?"

"Sure, _Uncle_," the young man said, using the relationship title just to make the demon lord mad.

"Keh, you just like to make mischief," Inuyasha interjected, knowing that if he didn't stop the fox demon's words, Ichigo would be fish food. While they weren't lovers, their auras were definitely mingling. If the teen ever made a move, the half demon figured the small woman would not reject his advances. Despite the revealing of secrets that seemed to have occurred by the bucket load that day, some things were still better left alone.

"Kurosaki, you tread dangerously close to harming my pride." Byakuya stared hard at his sister's friend, wondering just how close the two were. He'd been assured that they were not lovers but the combining of reiatsu that he sensed was just as intimate.

"Che, as if."

Sesshoumaru almost smiled at the response, knowing that one day the other noble would have to admit defeat and allow his sister to have her way when it came to her heart's desire. "Perhaps it is best that we return to the true reason we are gathered here."

"Have you come to some sort of agreement?" Ishida asked, thankful that the talk of Ichigo and Rukia's relationship was off the table. While it might prove amusing in the future to watch the battle between the two men who loved the violet eyed Shinigami the most, this was not the time and he knew it was hurting Orihime. The healer had already heard enough.

"Indeed, Quincy," Sesshoumaru agreed. "You will continue on with your studies. As most of you can't take the form of spirits, you are to attend to the safety of your town. Kuchiki-taicho has informed me that there is a training ground that is available for your use, should you choose to use it. Do so. It is never good to be caught unawares."

"I do not see how that is any different from what we'd already planned," Tatsuki put in. "Some of us are only spiritually aware, we don't have powers."

"So I have been told. Therefore, you will work with Sango and learn the way of the demon slayers. Perhaps you will develop powers as time goes on. It is only right that you have the ability to defend yourself against demons and Hollows."

"Well, gee, now that we have your permission, of course." The martial artist looked at the demon with something akin to hatred.

Miroku, who had kept his opinions to himself until then, winced, well aware of what the demon lord's response to her words would be. "Perhaps you should explain things better, Sesshoumaru. I do not believe they understand the extent of the training that they will need to go through."

"Insolent girl," Sesshoumaru glared but did not physically threaten the martial artist. She was even less of a match for him than the orange haired Shinigami.

"Taisho-san, I do not believe _you_ understand," Orihime whispered, touching her hairpins hesitantly. "Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san, Sado-kun, and Ishida-kun have all worked really hard to develop their powers. It takes a lot of stamina and strength to wield their weapons and powers like they do."

"Indeed," the demon lord agreed. "I am less concerned with them, than I am with the rest of you. Demons will generally stay away from those whose power is greater than theirs if they're smart. However, those of you who do not have powers beyond your spiritual awareness are nothing more than a meal on two legs to them. _That_ is why you must learn the ways of the taijiya. We do not even know if Zanpakutous will work on demons that are still alive. If I am correct, the nature of your swords is much like that of my Tenseiga. It can defeat the souls of the dead, but is useless against the living."

"Besides that, there are demons that like to prey on spiritually aware humans," Sango put in. Many times in the past the inutachi had come up against youkai that had wanted Miroku or Kagome's powers. "They kill them and take their powers, using the energy to feed their own. Isn't that right, Houshi-sama?" the older woman said, her tone slightly teasing.

"Ah, yes. My dearest Sango is right, children. It is better to be prepared than to be caught unawares. Besides, if you are so skilled, then you will breeze through the tests with little problem, won't you?"

"I do not see the difficulty," Ishida agreed.

"I thought you guys had watched what went on during the last year," Ichigo said, one brow raised in disbelief.

"You were investigated," Inuyasha said; one ear cocked on an angle. "However_, we_ did not see you," he continued, indicating his friends. "You must pass _our_ tests, just as every other demon slayer who we teach does. And let me tell you, it won't be easy."

"When is it ever?" the younger man sighed.

Sometimes he really hated being the hero.


	6. Troubled Misgivings

_A/N: A group to thank for reviews: __**Hidden Masked**__, __**Lalaith Quetzalli**__, __**TheIcecreamGeek**__, __**Draconias**__, __**Patcher**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**Rabe Addler**__, __**dragonlord1337**__, and __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__. And thank you to anyone who added this or its author to their lists. Take a deep breath, you're not imagining things. This is an actual update. Enjoy._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Troubled Misgivings_

The "Substitute Group" was thankful that the day was soon called to an end by Ochi-sensei. Having been ordered around by a powerful demon who they hadn't even known existed until that morning, the teenagers just wanted to go home and forget it ever happened. The priestess and demon slayer had smiled kindly at them and sent them off with a wave, while their husbands had cast them sympathetic looks. Obviously family was not exempt from Sesshoumaru Taisho's despotic ways.

They were silent on the way back home, each lost in their own thoughts. Rukia sent a more thorough report in to her superiors although she was sure her brother was giving the soutaicho every detail of what had occurred. Ichigo had put his ear buds in and was listening to his music in a vain attempt to avoid remembering what had happened. Orihime and Ishida talked quietly about the possibilities, Tatsuki interjecting a comment every so often to keep the busty ginger head from envisioning crazy things too much. Mizuiro and Keigo were still shell shocked, unable to comprehend the serious of the situation.

"Ichigo," Rukia said quietly, pulling one bud out so that he heard her above the racket.

"Hmm?" he acknowledged, turning down the volume and tilting his head so that he was looking at her.

"Why do you think they let us go through the war by ourselves? If they could have helped, why didn't they?"

"Aizen was one of the Gotei Thirteen, as was Ichimaru and Tousen. Maybe they thought that it was our responsibility to defeat them. I'm sure that if the world had really been in jeopardy, they would have stepped in. You sensed their power. Even the three humans of their group were strong. Two of them have spiritual power while the demon slayer has physical strength. I'm sure she could best Tatsuki in a fight even though she's supposedly really old."

"Maybe I should go back to the library and see if I can find that book again. Even though they gave us a shortened version of what happened five hundred years ago, I'm sure they left a lot of things out."

"You could try but I don't see how that would help us now. Maybe you could try to find out things about their clan. Taisho-san the elder seems to be in charge of everything although his younger brother isn't a push over. I'd like to know what kinds of abilities they really have. That sword of his makes me nervous."

"I'll go as soon as we get back to Karakura." Content with the small plan, Rukia put away her phone and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Your shoulder makes for a hard pillow."

"Then don't use it," he retorted, putting his ear bud back in and turning his music back up. She ignored him as usual and returned to the nap she had been trying to take when they'd arrived. "Stubborn midget," he muttered but didn't dislodge her.

The members of their little group watched the scene with varying reactions. Keigo wept crocodile tears, lamenting the loss of his "Rukia-chan," while Mizuiro shrugged and went back to texting his current girlfriend. Chad, while silent, knew that it was only a matter of time before they took things further than allowing her to sleep on his shoulder. Tatsuki frowned, on the fence about how she felt about the close relationship between the two Shinigami personally but angry at the same time on behalf of Orihime. The flower spirit wielder had only glanced at the pair briefly before turning to look out her window.

Ishida knew firmly where he stood but couldn't hate the two for feeling as they did. He was fiercely _glad_ that Ichigo had no feelings for Orihime other than friendship even if the Rikka user harbored more than just that for the war hero. And being uncomfortably aware of what _that_ meant made sitting next to her hard. Not that he would have been anywhere else. The only other member of their group that he would have trusted to stand guard over her was Chad and he was too large to sit with anyone in the train's small seats. Keigo and Mizuiro were out for obvious reasons and Tatsuki didn't have any powers to protect her friend should there be an attack.

Banging his head against the seat, the Quincy smiled grimly at the load of excuses and went back to enjoying the painful pleasure of sitting next to the girl he liked while contemplating the events of the day. Meeting the Taicho clan and being told that his method of exterminating Hollows had to be changed, did not sit well with him. He had been taking out the blighted souls for years without problems and intended to continue his duty as a Quincy. Personally he wasn't convinced that there was a better way. His arrows weren't made for purification.

"Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked hesitantly from beside him. She had seen his earlier agitation and was worried about what it meant. He was hardly ever disturbed.

"Is something the matter, Inoue-san?"

"You seem upset. Is it because of what that priestess said earlier?"

"I have been using my Quincy powers for a long time. I do not take kindly to someone who does not know me telling me that I need to change the way I use them." Dark blue eyes glinted hardly behind glasses.

Orihime stared at her friend, seeing the same side to him that she'd first caught a glimpse of in the Soul Society when they'd rescued Rukia. "But wouldn't it be better if the Hollows could be purified? That way all the souls they ate could find their way back into the reincarnation cycle."

He looked into her hopeful eyes and couldn't help the soft smile that came to his lips. Something about her made him want to be a more sociable creature than was his natural habit. "I suppose that would be a good thing, Inoue-san but I doubt it is even possible."

"But you would, if it were?"

"Yes, I suppose I would."

"Oh, good! Then you could take out as many as you wanted and no one in the Soul Society would mind! Just think, you and Kurosaki-kun could have a real contest and keep track for a whole month or even stretch it out for a year. And who ever won would have to buy the other something like an ice cream and…" She trailed off when he laughed, confused as to why he was amused.

"Ah, Inoue-san, that sounds like a great idea." When she beamed at him, he felt his cheeks warm.

"Do you suppose demons are anything like Hollows?" she went on to muse while her seat partner caught Tatsuki staring at him from the corner of his eye. The archer cleared his throat and sat straighter, intent on regaining his composure. The martial artist simply smirked at him and went back to her nearly one sided conversation with Chad.

"I would think that they can be far scarier and more troublesome. Hollows like to go after people with spiritual power. If what I gathered is correct, most demons don't have that requirement."

"You know, we haven't ever seen any demons around Karakura." Orihime put a finger to her chin and tapped it lightly.

"With so many spiritually powerful humans around, most are probably keeping clear of the town. It would be in their best interests to stay far from people who could kill them. And if there are such things as demon slayers who don't necessarily have powers like we do, there could have been someone roaming around without our knowledge. We haven't exactly been around a lot lately."

"True. I can't wait to find out what Kazaana-san can teach us. Yoruichi-san is a good teacher but this is probably something she doesn't know."

"I wouldn't mind learning how to take down a monster," Tatsuki interjected. She was still sore about not being able to defend herself against Yammy, never mind Aizen. "I bet I could take the taijiya."

"I'm sure you'll get the chance to find out, Arisawa-san," Ishida commented politely but was just as sure that she would get beaten without too much trouble.

"We don't do anything with them until Rukia gets back from the Soul Society. She's going to see if the Gotei has any information on the Taisho clan and what they're about." Hard amber eyes glinted in the lights from the train. "No one is to go alone." Ichigo put away his music, the train about to come into the station.

""I do not take orders from you, Kurosaki. Besides, it would be foolish to be alone with people we still know little about."

"Whatever, I just have the feeling they haven't told us everything. The last time we went into that kind of situation, most of us nearly died."

Ishida didn't correct him, knowing that the situations they got themselves into were treacherous. If they had known more about Hueco Mundo, they might have avoided some of the trouble. "Information is paramount. How long did she say she'd be gone?"

"She didn't. Stubborn midget fell asleep." Despite his claim, Ichigo carried her to the next train. "If Byakuya's doing what I think he is, he'll have the information waiting for her when she gets there. Give her a couple of days."

"In the meantime, we probably should ignore any invitations to train at Urahara's," Tatsuki added. "Especially you two," she said, looking pointedly at Keigo and Mizuiro.

"I'll stay far, far away," Keigo assured his classmate while the other male just nodded.

"I feel better with a plan," Orihime said, taking Rukia's small backpack. The petite Shinigami had been up until the early morning hours the night before and today had taken a toll on her too. Dealing with her brother often left her a little drained.

"Aa," Chad commented. It was always good to have a plan.

* * *

><p>When Rukia next woke, she was being carried by Ichigo on their way home. Her bag bumped lightly against her back leg, the daiko's strong hands gripping her calves securely. "You can put me down now."<p>

"You sure you're not going to fall asleep on your feet?" he asked, mild amusement lacing his voice. "I didn't know you had perfected the art of sleeping while standing."

"Funny. I'll go from here and leave my gigai with Urahara." Straightening her uniform, Rukia held out her hand for her bag. "Cover for me at school and _don't_ do anything stupid while I'm gone," she ordered, walking away from him.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Ichigo shouted after her. Her only answer was a haughtily raised brow.

"Bossy midget," he muttered, continuing on to the clinic. It wasn't like he went _looking_ for trouble.

It just seemed to find him.


	7. Demon Slaying 101

_A/N: Quite the group to thank for reviews: __**Wicken25**__, __**KitElizaKing**__, __**Patcher**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**Hidden Masked**__, __**dragonlord1337**__, __**Draconias**__, "__**A.M.P. 1008**__," and __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. I had someone complain that I was making the "Substitute Group" appear weak. "Oh ye of little faith."_

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Demon Slaying 101_

The inutachi gathered around Sango's SUV, the slayer packing every conceivable type of weapon into the back. They had given the younger generation a few days to do research on them, figuring that the first thing the Kuchiki siblings were going to do was try to find information on their clan. Once they had heard that the younger had returned from the Soul Society, they had made provisions to use the training grounds of Kisuke Urahara to assess and train the "Substitute Group" in the way of the taijiya.

"Do you think we should tell them that we have more confidence in their strength than we've let on?" Kagome asked, her brows lowered in worry.

"No," Sesshoumaru commanded. "I wish to know whether or not their physical bodies can last as long as their soul forms."

"Still, it seems a bit insulting."

"He's right, Kagome. When a demon attacks, there's not going to be time for the Shinigami to change forms. And since we don't know if their powers will work on beings that are corporeal to begin with, they may have to learn how to fight with other kinds of weapons. The archer is probably going to have the least trouble if he has to pick up a regular bow and arrow but I'm not too sure of the others."

"Keh. That Kariya was corporeal and it worked fine on him."

"Not originally," Inuyasha's brother reminded. "The Bount were created from Shinigami experiments and souls. Zanpakutous were the natural weapons."

"Don't worry about it, Kaa-san," Shippou soothed. "I'm sure they'll pass Aunt Sango's test with flying colors." He patted his adoptive mother on the back in an attempt to comfort her.

"Thank you, Shippou." Kagome hugged the kitsune before leaning into her mate's side. "Here's the last of it. Remember not to take off the seal until you're ready to let them out. I had the devil's own job getting a couple of them in there," the priestess said to the sister of her heart as she passed over a heavy box. Numerous sutras had been plastered on the outside, sealing the contents.

"I'm well acquainted with seals," Sango said, amused. "Miroku regularly tests his abilities on the stray youkai around the temple. Now, am I forgetting anything?" the slayer asked, looking at the mess her car had become.

Those gathered around studied the chaos and wondered if she had gone over board. "I think you forgot the kitchen sink, Oba-san," Shippou remarked.

"Why would I need that?" she asked, still not familiar with American slang.

"I believe he is referring to the fact that you could not possibly include anything else," Sesshoumaru remarked. "However, were you not going to take Kirara with you?"

"She's already in the front seat."

"Thank goodness," Miroku commented. "I was beginning to think you buried her."

"Watch it, Miroku. I could still find room in there to stow you. I can show them what happens to people who pick fights with me."

"Now, Sango, you know I have only love for you, dearest."

"Uh-huh." Despite her sarcastic remark she accepted his kiss goodbye and got in the driver's side. With a wave she took off for Karakura, leaving the rest of her pack to gaze after her.

"You know, one of these days she's going to forget to leave room for herself," Inuyasha remarked.

"Why do you think I always help?" Miroku returned.

"I'm sure she packed enough weaponry to start a small war." Shippou crossed his hands behind his head and started back to the slayers' compound.

"You guys!" Kagome protested but couldn't help laughing.

Sesshoumaru wisely kept his mouth shut.

* * *

><p>Sango arrived at the small candy shop and parked as close as she could. Letting Kirara out of the carrier she had her in for protection, the taijiya studied the lay of the land and concluded that the seclusion was perfect for her purpose. Her companion followed her into the empty store, alert but not picking up anything disturbing.<p>

"Can I help you?" A large man greeted her politely, bowing in respect. His eyes were hidden behind dark shades despite the fact that they were inside.

"I am Sango Kazaana. I believe Kisuke Urahara is expecting me."

"The demon slayer, yes, he told me you were coming. If you would follow me, please."

Her first impression of the owner was that he was an idiot. He hid most of his expressions behind a fan that she would have loved to hit him with and sounded like he took none of what she said seriously. On closer inspection, it became clear that he was purposely keeping things light while he studied her.

"I see you have a friend," Urahara commented, tilting his head towards Kirara.

"She has been with me nearly all of my life," Sango answered. "She is what we call a nekomata. This is only one of her forms."

"Ah, so you have cat who can transform too! Yoruichi, I've found you a playmate!" he called.

A sleek black cat came in from another room, its golden eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I am not a cat, Kisuke," the male voice uttered with a growl.

"Of course, of course," he tried to assure his childhood friend. "Yoruichi, this is Sango Kazaana and her companion Kirara. Kazaana-san, this Yoruichi Shihoin. I've known her almost all of my life too." Grinning like a fool, he picked Yoruichi up and nuzzled her, earning claw marks across his face for his trouble.

Curious, Kirara ventured over to the pair, sniffing at the other feline and ex-Shinigami. "Mew?" she questioned uncertainly.

"Yes, yes, I know. I sound like a male but am in fact a woman. Perhaps you would like to see my transformation." Yoruichi moved away from her friend, changing forms to see how the newcomers reacted.

Neither member of the inutachi blinked when she appeared out of the smoke naked as the day she was born. "You aren't surprised."

"No, just relieved my husband isn't here," Sango said. "It takes a great deal to surprise me these days. Is there a place I can set up my equipment?" she asked, ready to get down to business. "I wish to proceed with the lesson as soon as the group is out of school for the day."

"Of course, of course. I will have Tessai help bring it in. He's a better hand at it than the children. Now then, shall we discuss a rental fee?" Urahara asked hopefully.

Both women merely glared at him.

"I thought not."

* * *

><p>Ichigo was the first one to the training ground that day, followed directly by Rukia. They had dropped their things at home, changing out their uniforms into something more suitable for fighting. At lunch Ishida had sensed a strong demonic aura so they had immediately assumed someone from the Taisho clan had come to pay them a visit. After agreeing to meet up at Urahara's, the friends had finished the day on edge. The majority of the group were uneasy with allowing Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro near the demons but having faced Aizen head on, Ichigo rather thought that they'd be okay.<p>

One by one the others joined the two Shinigami, Chad, Orihime, and Ishida familiar with the grounds while the other three were new to the area. "I never imagined there was a place like this under here," Tatsuki said. Gazing around, it looked like one giant cave.

"Yeah, Urahara's just full of surprises," Ichigo muttered. The weapons and boxes scattered around the rocks closest to the ladder interested him more.

"It seems we are to have a demonstration," Ishida said.

"I wonder what's in here," Keigo added with curiosity.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," a voice from above answered.

Sango stuck her head down the hole, gauging the amount of flips she'd have to do to soften her fall. Kirara chirped from her shoulder, reassuring the slayer that she'd catch her if she miscalculated. The boy with the light brown hair jumped back from the box containing a dozen low level demons like it had bit him. "Look out below," she warned before descending.

Much like Yoruichi she let gravity take her before using her prowess as a taijiya to keep from hurting herself on the hard ground. Landing with one knee bent, she rose and dusted off her uniform. The pliant leather was much like her old one had been in the Feudal Era although this one was made by the best researchers and out of youkai hide.

"That was cool," Keigo admitted. "I just don't understand why we're here."

"This is your first lesson in how to kill demons. Strangely enough I didn't sense any when I arrived, nor did I pick up any trace of Hollows."

"They're less frequent now that Aizen's gone," Rukia reported.

"I suppose they would be. If Aizen concentrated his attacks here, that may be why the demons have left this town alone. Most aren't real bright but after their ancestors were absorbed by Naraku five hundred years ago, they tend to stay away from beings with more power. Now then, I wanted to explain to you the different types of weapons and demons there are. You may not have to worry right now but once you go to university that will probably change."

Ishida had to concede her the point. Although he enjoyed living in Karakura, he certainly wasn't going to go to the local college. With his grades he would be accepted into the top three universities of Japan and he intended to apply. Osaka and Kyoto were probably not as clear of Hollows, or demons as Tokyo.

"Understandable, I guess," Tatsuki said. "I intend to travel all over in the future. I guess I can't expect the bad guys to leave me alone all the time."

"I'm glad you agree. Now, can any of you tell me how many types of demons there are and what they are?" Sango was greeted with silence, and she sighed. Kirara jumped down from her shoulder and found a spot on a rock to take a nap. This was going to take a while. "Perhaps you should take notes."

"Elemental and animal," Chad said quietly, looking at the demon cat. He went over and petted her, delighted when she purred in response to his touch.

"That's correct, Sado-kun."

"Don't mind him, he's a sucker for cute things," Ichigo put in.

"I don't, and neither does she. Kirara likes to be petted." Sango paused, catching Mizuiro sending messages on his phone. "Kojima-kun, I'll give you one chance to put that away."

The playboy looked up from his cell, flinching at the promise of death reflected back at him. "Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you, I'm glad we understand each other." Sango turned back to her lecture, ignoring the stunned looks from the other teens. "Now then, as I was started to say. There are two basic kinds of youkai. Those whose powers are based on the elements, and those whose powers are base on the animals their true forms take the shape of. Some crossover, as Kirara does but for the most part, it's pretty cut and dry. There are exceptions to this however, so I suppose a third type might be in order but those are usually low level demons who get put into the category of "pest" by my esteemed clan leader and left at that. Those that are created by the negative emotions of humans fall into the elemental type and we once believed that Hollows were a kind of demon. It was only after we were able to actually meet and talk with a Shinigami that we understood differently.

"After the type of demon is established, one must look at the demon's powers. This is, unless I'm mistaken, something like what powers your Zanpakutous use," Sango addressed the last to Rukia, who was taking notes diligently despite her partner's glare.

"Yes, my Zanpakutou is an ice type. So there are types of demons who use ice as the basis for their power?"

"Exactly. These youkai can look like ordinary humans and the more they resemble us, the more dangerous they are. Only high level demons can take on a human appearance. Taiyoukai like Sesshoumaru have almost no features that can be construed as anything but human save for their claws, ears, and occasionally feet. Shippou, my kitsune nephew who you met the other day, is well on his way to that status."

"What about Inuyasha?" Ichigo suddenly questioned. "He has ears on the top of his head. Does that mean he's not at the same level as his brother?" "Quite the contrary. They are even as far as power goes. Inuyasha is a half demon. His mother was a human princess who mated with the Lord of the Western Lands, a great dog demon. All half demons have some part of their make up that resemble their demon parent. Aside from his ears, he has no other markings that make him different." Her tone had turned protective, as if daring them to make an issue out of his heritage.

"Another thing he has in common with Kurosaki," Ishida put in.

"Excuse me?" Sango asked.

"Kurosaki-kun's dad is a Shinigami and his mom was human. They fell in love and had him and his sisters…" Orihime sighed, trailing off.

"I see, I seem to remember reading that in your file." Sango waved away their questions, picking up a weapon that had been near her right hand. "This is a youkai weapon forged by a demon sword smith. Even if a youkai is an animal type, they can still wield weapons whose powers are elemental. You will have noticed that the sword Inuyasha carries radiates its own power. There are two reasons for that. One, it was forged from his father's fang, and two, it was once repaired with Inuyasha's own. Its purpose was originally to protect Inuyasha's mother, and then later him. Its true power can only be accessed by the desire to protect humanity. Thus Tetsusaiga is the Sword of Earth. It can slay a hundred enemies in one swing."

Chad looked at his orange haired friend and paused stroking Kirara long enough to say, "That is why Ichigo is so powerful."

"The need and desire to protect is one of the greatest sources of strength a hero can have." Sango smiled and put away the weapon she still held. The group had been strangely silent. "Are there any questions before I go on?"

"You said Kirara was a cross over between the two types of demons,." Tatsuki said, prodding the older woman for information.

"Yes, that's right. Nekomata are animal youkai but each has an element that gives them power. As they are known as 'hell cats,' fire is usually the source. You might have heard the term before to refer to a woman with a hot temper. There's a reason for that." Sango smiled, holding out her arms for her companion. Kirara jumped down, privately lamenting the loss of Chad's attention.

Going to her kitten, she let herself be put on display. "In this form, Kirara looks like a cute, innocent kitten. Truthfully, she is fully grown and has been for almost a thousand years."

"No way!" Keigo shouted, the volume making Kirara's ears flatten.

"Just like Shinigami," Rukia murmured, thinking of the soutaicho and her captain.

"Yes way," Sango countered, amused. "And keep your voice down, her ears are sensitive. Perhaps a demonstration is in order."

Kirara mewed and jumped down. Standing in front of the teenagers, she transformed. Flames erupted form her paws and licked the tips of her tails. Out of the fire came a large saber toothed cat. Her roar echoed through the underground cavern, making three out of the eight people jump back.

The original members of the "Substitute Group" tensed, battle ready and wary. "This is Kirara's true form. She is fierce and protective in battle and you don't want to mess with her. She's my partner in demon slaying and was once Priestess Midoriko's companion as well."

"Who was she?" Ichigo's infamous inability to remember names and faces had kicked in. The others were well aware of his trouble but it only served to distract Sango.

"Ah, I suppose you weren't listening to Kagome when she told you about the Shikon Jewel's origins. The Jewel of Four Souls was created when Midoriko sealed the souls of hundreds of youkai with her own. The action created a jewel that was pushed out of her chest, leaving a whole near her heart. Until the war with Naraku ended, those souls battled each other continuously. Only Kirara has been in on it from the beginning."

Kirara rumbled agreement, butting her head up against the taijiya. "Who would like to ride her?"

"Ride? Like a horse?" Rukia questioned.

"Something like that. She carried my husband and I often in the old days. There is enough room here for her to move about freely."

"Oh, me, me!" Orihime begged, moving forward without fear. She climbed onto Kirara's back despite her friends' protests, petting the large nekomata behind the ears. "She's such a beautiful animal."

Kirara didn't give them any time to adjust to the new situation. She launched herself in the air, eliciting a scream from the Rikka wielder.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki shouted in concern.

"Inoue-san!" Ishida echoed, missing the small smile Sango gave at the adolescent's fright.

"Don't worry, she won't drop your friend. As long as she doesn't let go and doesn't lean over too far, she's safer on Kirara than she would be if she rode in a car."

The others exchanged glances, Orihime's reckless behavior well known. She had once used her powers to save them from the Cleaner after all. "I'm not so sure, Inoue was the best choice," Ichigo commented. Rukia nodded, seconding the opinion just as Kirara angled down in a turn and Orihime let go to wave at them. She slid slowly from the cat's back, flipping in the air before she was caught gently in giant jaws.

Ruby eyes rolled in exasperation as Kirara set the girl gently on her feet. Giving a gentle scold in her larger form, the nekomata returned to her kitten size before going to take a nap. "It takes some practice to move with her," Sango explained. As the teen appeared unharmed, she continued on with her lecture.

"Taijiya use weapons made of demon hides to exterminate other demons. While the process used to be long and tedious, these days we have machines to help us make and maintain. I won't show you all of the ones I brought with me but you'll get the chance to use them eventually. Poisons are also used to rid houses and the ground of vermin. This," she said pulling Hiraikotsu out from behind a large bolder, "Is my weapon. It's a bone boomerang made up of the crushed bones of many youkai and can cut through nearly anything. I will demonstrate how to use it before we go on to the last part of my lesson."

"I'm glad it's almost over," Keigo sighed. He had become bored ages ago. Mizuiro seemed to agree because he'd brought out his cell again.

Gesturing for the others to follow, Sango led them to a cleared area some distance away from a giant rock ledge. There was a scar in the earth indicating that another attack had once marked the area. "Hey, this is where I learned my first Getsuga Tenshou."

"Show off," Rukia muttered and settled in to watch. She needed to make detailed reports about everything that went on. Her superiors were interested in learning everything they could about the Taisho clan and their methods.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango called and sent it after the innocent rock. It cut through the ledge like it was butter, the poisonous acid that had been added to the weapon sizzling the sides of it. The boomerang came back and just for amusement the demon slayer let it get as close to the group as possible before catching the oversized mass of bones.

"Now that's cool," Keigo admitted.

"It was interesting," Mizuiro allowed.

"Interesting? I want something like that," Tatsuki demanded.

"I rather thought that would get your attention. Many of you have weapons and powers of your own but for those of you who don't, I will teach you to use similar exterminating methods. I started using Hiraikotsu when I was about five. It took me a long time to be able to lift and throw it without trouble."

Sango passed the weapon around, amused when the only ones who didn't seem to have any problem lifting it were Ichigo and Chad. As Ichigo's Zanpakutou was as long as the kid was tall and Chad was made up almost entirely of muscle, it didn't surprise her.

"I still want one," Tatsuki said. She could lift the boomerang but throwing it with any accuracy might have been a problem.

"We'll see," Sango replied. "For now, I want to see how you guys do against real demons. This is where my lecture ends, and your real lesson begins. Kirara and I will be here to rescue you if necessary but I'm hoping it won't be. You'll be required to use your powers while still in your physical bodies." The slayer paused when Inoue, Ishida, and Chad summoned said powers without waiting for her to finish. Rukia and Ichigo held soul pills to their mouths, frowning at her. "Is something the matter?" the older woman asked innocently.

"While I can use kido, Ichigo can't. We can't access our Zanpakutous in our bodies."

"How do you manage to kill Hollows without getting attacked first, then? A demon's not going to wait around while you swallow medicine." Narrowing her eyes, Sango shifted Hiraikotsu higher on her shoulder. "What _can_ you do?" she asked the substitute.

"I can probably dodge it long enough to swallow Kon's pill. Been known to do that a time or two with Hollows." Ichigo shrugged, showing that he wasn't all that concerned.

Tempted to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation, Sango merely sighed. "We'll have to wing it, I guess. Grab one of these and see what you can do." She gestured to one of the many weapons she had laid out before going to the box containing the sealed demons. "All right, are you ready?"

"Let's have at it."

"Do we have to?" Keigo whined.

"What do you think?" Sango peeled off the first sutra, watching their reaction to the sudden aura being emitted. Ishida was the only one who seemed to sense how serious it was while the others furrowed their brows. Sensing reiatsu and sensing _youki_ was somehow easier for the Quincy.

She'd have to mention that to Sesshoumaru. "Begin," she ordered and let the demons free.

Ishida was the first to jump back, taking Tatsuki with him while Orihime protected them with her shield. Dozens of what he concluded were "low level" youkai swarmed the area, their attention quickly given to the humans below. "Watch out!" he warned, firing as many arrows at the two snake-like creatures headed their way.

"Tatsuki-chan, grab something!" Orihime called, sending Tsubaki after another, Ishida's arrows giving the flower spirit cover.

Chad concentrated on protecting Keigo and Mizuiro, who had cowered behind a rock. They shivered, arms shielding their heads. "Stay down."

Rukia shot off Hado spells one after the other, trying to cover for Ichigo as he grabbed the closest weapon with a blade. "You're learning kido after this!" she shouted, doing a back flip to avoid a three eyed toad.

"I'm not arguing!" Ichigo yelled back. His training served him well with stamina and strength and he used one of the weapons to take out the toad after Rukia. The demons had come hard and fast, not leaving him any time to swallow Kon's pill. Kazaana-san had been right when she said that if they attacked, he wouldn't have time. Ichigo hadn't felt the demonic aura like Ishida had and figured if some stronger youkai came after him, he'd be screwed. He'd been listening to the lecture despite his seeming inattention and had come to the conclusion that ability wise, demons had a lot in common with Shinigami. One of things that was probably similar was an ability to hide their presence.

"Look out behind you!" one of his friends shouted right before a barbed tail sent him crashing into a nearby rock.

"Kuso!"

* * *

><p>Sango sat atop Kirara watching the battle and taking mental notes. Although she thought Kagome had only sealed a dozen demons and appeared to have gone overboard with the number, the taijiya had to admit that this was a true test of their strength. Unfortunately, their close bonds tended to put them on the defensive. "Attack, don't just defend!" she instructed. One particularly unlucky youkai was drawn by her voice and died at Hiraikotsu's hand.<p>

"We are attacking!" Ichigo shot back, annoyed.

Just when the "Substitute Group" was beginning to think there was an end to horde, the box shook once more and a crack of thunder echoed throughout the training grounds. _Youki_ poured forth in large waves, signaling the presence of a stronger demon than any they'd just fought.

About to go ahead and finish off what she figured was the last of the small fry, Urahara's gratingly cheerful voice called down to her. "Kazaana-san! Your cell is ringing!" Sango caught the slim phone, not bothering to glance at the caller ID.

"I'm in the middle of something," she said by way of greeting.

"Sango, please tell me you haven't opened the box with the demons yet," Kagome pleaded on the other end.

"They're exterminating them as we speak, why?" A large roar was her answer as a giant oni rose out of a cloud of smoke to tower over the group of teens.

"Because I gave you the wrong box! They weren't supposed to be tested with those until they could use actual taijiya weapons!"

"You _what_? Kagome!"

"I know, I know! Quick, save them, that box has the oni from-"

"Mount Kita," Sango finished for her friend. She stared wide eyed at the demon, it's red, glowing eyes filled with menace and hatred. "Gotta go," the slayer said and tossed the shopkeeper back her phone. "Everyone get back!"

Ichigo ignored her warning, instead intent on taking the giant ogre down that had swatted Rukia away like she was nothing but a fly. Kirara beat him to the punch, distracting the demon while Sango saved him from being a second casualty by blocking the youkai's hand with her weapon. "Screw this," he swore and swallowed Kon's pill while the others drew the attention off of him.

Hiraikotsu was taking a leg from the oni at the same time Zangetsu sent a small Getsuga Tenshou after it, slicing it down the middle without a problem. The demon broke apart as if it had been attacked by Tetsusaiga, not the spirit sword. The orange haired daiko didn't stop to see if any of his friends or the demon slayer was all right, he paused only long enough to put his Zanpakutou away before rushing over to Rukia.

"I'm fine, baka," she said, pushing his arm away as she stood. A large gash on her arm said otherwise.

"What the hell was that, Kazaana-san?" Ichigo charged, tearing off a strip from Zangetsu's ribbon to wrap around Rukia's wound.

"That was an oni. Normally oni are large, but stupid and not very powerful. That one however was a giant mountain oni and could have done some serious damage. I apologize for not checking the contents of the box first. Kagome just called to tell me that she had given me the wrong one." Sango checked over the group, seeing that the others were not hurt because of the mistake. "We have discovered two things, however."

"And just what would those be?" Ishida demanded. His arrows hadn't had the same effect as they did on Hollows.

"For one, Zanpakutous do work on youkai, and two, you can now be considered level five students of the taijiya. Congratulations. Normal humans wouldn't have been able to exterminate that many without studying our ways for at least five years. With a little tweaking of your powers, I'd say you'll be ready to do this on your own in a year's time."

"Joy," Tatsuki muttered. She dusted her clothes off, grimacing at what looked like demon guts on her shoes. "Just what I wanted to hear."

The others couldn't help but agree.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Mount Kita is the second largest mountain in Japan and is located in Miniami-Alps, Yamanashi Prefecture._


	8. Once An Idiot

_A/N: A small group to thank for the last chapter: "__**A.M.P. 1008**__," __**Dragon and Sword Master**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**LoVe23**__, __**dragonlord1337**__, __**Draconias**__, and __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. A reviewer for one of my other stories suggested I do a recap so for those of you who have forgotten, the gang just got through defeating far too many demons than they were supposed to thanks to Kagome's airheaded-ness and Rukia told Ichigo that he was going to learn kido. He didn't object. _

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Once an Idiot…_

Ichigo stood in front of some of the foremost experts in kido and couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After Sango Kazaana had left Urahara's, Rukia had called in Lieutenants Ise and Hinamori, hoping that they would have better luck teaching him how to focus his energy. So far they hadn't been any more successful than she had been.

"You remind me of Shiro-chan," Hinamori giggled, her gentle laugh adding to his embarrassment. Not that anyone could tell that he was thanks to the smoke that had yet to clear.

"In what way?"

"Grandmother said that before he went to the Academy, he couldn't control his power when he slept any better than you can. If it hadn't been for Matsumoto-san, Grandmother would be dead."

"I see," he said, scratching the back of his head. "How is that going to help me learn kido?"

"Captain Hitsugaya needed a reason to go to the Academy and learn to use the power he had been given. I am given to understand that your training thus far has not been in a structured setting," Nanao continued for her fellow lieutenant.

"No, it's been pretty much do or die," he said. "You know, find your Zanpakutou or turn into a Hollow, find your bankai or die by your Zanpakutou (in which case Rukia dies), learn to control your Hollow or have it kill you, and gain enough power or Aizen will kill everyone. Those have been my major training settings so far."

"Yes, those are rather extreme conditions. Can you explain in greater detail what Urahara did to make your regain your Shinigami powers?"

"Sure, if it'll help. When I became determined to save Rukia, I came here for help. The first thing he did was use his walking stick thing to take my soul out of my body. Afterwards, I trained with Ururu so that I could move freely as a soul again. Once that was completed, Tessai cut my Chain of Fate, tied me up in a kido spell that I don't remember the name of and then they threw me down a hole and told me I had seventy-two hours to become a Shinigami or what was left of my chain would corrode completely and I'd turn into a Hollow. I managed by the skin of my teeth but still ended up with one anyway."

"Interesting," the taller of his two new teachers murmured.

"Ise-san, what are you thinking?" Rukia asked, knowing that her analytical mind might be able to come up with a method that would work for him. That was one of the reasons she had asked the lieutenant of the eighth.

"Kurosaki-daiko's undergone extremely stressful training that has emotional and spiritual consequences of the life-threatening variety. Each time he has succeeded far beyond expectations. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that in order to learn how to do not only Bakudo but also Hado kido is to put him in the same situations. However, it is not that you lack the ability to learn the spells and their names; it is your inability to control your reiatsu enough to effectively use them that's the problem. Please study this manual for the next week while I devise a training regime worthy of your usual methods." Nanao dropped the large tome she was holding into his arms and adjusted her glasses. "I will contact you when I have everything set up. In the meantime, you are free to try on your own if you think it will be of any help."

"Thank you…I think," he replied, accepting the heavy volume.

"It was no trouble. Let's return for the moment, Hinamori-san," the elder adjunct said, waiting for her colleague to open a Senkaimon. "In the meantime, keep observing the Taisho clan. The soutaicho is not ready to trust them."

"Sure," the orange haired daiko agreed readily. He watched them leave before turning to his partner. "You ready to go home?" Ichigo asked, rolling his shoulders to get the stiffness out of them.

"Not yet," she answered, pointing to the textbook he held. "I'm going to quiz you first."

"On what, the names off all the kido spells Ise-san just gave me?" he cried incredulously. "That could take all night."

"Don't be absurd. I'm just going to see how many you know the names of, like the one I tend to use. Surely you've seen it often enough to remember what it's called." When he gave her a blank look, she pulled his arm until he was sitting across from her on the ground. She took the book and opened it, her gaze turning mischievous at it settled on a familiar name.

"I don't like that look in your eye," Ichigo said warily. "It always means trouble." _For me_, he finished silently.

"Oh, come now, this is one even the great Ichigo Kurosaki should remember." Positioning her hands in a pose he vaguely remembered, she grinned at him before starting. "Bakudo Number One: S…"

"Wait, stop, I remember that one! It's 'Sai' and it pinned my arms behind my back the night we met! I don't need a demonstration." Ichigo waved his warms back and forth as if to ward off her demonstration, surprised when she yelped and fell forward against him. "Rukia?"

"You fool! You used it on me!" Incensed, she growled under her breath and tried to sit up, using Ichigo's chest as leverage. He assisted her after a moment, the stunned look on his face almost worth having her arms pinned.

"I did, but how?"

"_How?_ You said the spell name and waved your arms about like an idiot. Somehow you managed to summon it by just saying its name. Only experts in kido like my brother can do that."

"So, you're saying I don't need to say the incantation or even its number…" he mused, an arrogant smirk rising to his face.

"Yes, yes, be proud of yourself. It appears that you were putting _too_ much power behind the spells to begin with and that's why they were blowing up in your face." Rukia sighed, silently proud of him and yet irritated all the same. "Now release me," she ordered.

"I don't know, I kind of like you this way. It prevents you from hitting me with your fists." He stood, setting her on her feet.

"I don't need my hands to hit you," she declared, aiming a kick to his head. The move pulled her off balance and she fell forward, taking him with her. They landed hard, her on top of him, his arms going around her instinctively to shield her from the fall.

"You seem to be having a problem," he teased, his breath tickling her ear.

Flushing, she snarled and struggled to sit up by herself. Her knee hit him low on the abdomen and she grinned malevolently. "Watch it or I'll make sure you never 'become a man,'" she threatened.

"That's low, Rukia," Ichigo informed the petite Shinigami, mentally cringing at her words.

"Is that so?" she pushed on bravely, knowing that they were headed into previously ignored territory. Looking up into his face, she took in his heated amber eyes and flushed face. Her own face became heated and she cleared her throat. "You're right, I'm sorry." He nodded slightly, carefully lifting her off of him. Before he could say anything, a tenor voice from above interrupted.

"It looks like we interrupted something, Okaa-san. Maybe we should come back later."

The partners in Hollow hunting sprang apart, not wanting anyone to get any more wrong ideas. "It's not like that!" Ichigo told the red haired kitsune as Shippou grinned down at him from the entrance.

"Sure, it's not," he teased, enjoying the bright glow of their faces.

"Shippou Taisho, you leave those children alone!" Kagome's sharp demand came from somewhere out of sight, making the fox demon flinch. "And take me down there," she added, almost as an afterthought.

"Yes, ma'am," he sighed. He really hated it when she spoiled his fun.

Rukia and Ichigo watched mother and son descend in a single leap, Shippou simply bending his knees to lessen the impact of the landing for his mother. The ground remained intact, not even an indentation as a sign that something had fallen from a great height. A demon's physical skills were truly impressive.

"I apologize for my son. His sense of humor leaves a lot to be desired sometimes." Kagome sighed, looking at her eldest sternly. "He learned a lot of bad habits from the men in his life growing up."

"Keh," Shippou scoffed although his tails drooped under her gaze.

"Anyway, is there something wrong with your arms?" Kagome asked, for the first time noticing that Rukia's arms seemed to be stuck behind her back at an odd angle.

"I was going over some kido spells with Ichigo and he accidentally used one on me."

"I see and I take it he can't undo it," the older woman said, smiling.

"Haven't got a clue," Ichigo admitted.

"It wouldn't be the first time someone used a spell and had no idea how to reverse the effects," Kagome laughed, tilting her head towards Shippou. "Isn't that right, Shippou-_chan_?" she asked, watching as color bloomed on his cheeks.

"Okaa-san, I told you not to call me that anymore!" he protested. "And it was only once," he grumbled.

"Let me see what I can do," the priestess murmured, studying the energy around the violet eyed clan princess. "Ah, this should do it," she said, touching the bounds that held Rukia's arms. The spell dissolved, allowing the ice Zanpakutou wielder full motor control again.

"Thank you," she said, rubbing her arms.

"You're quite welcome, dear. It's been a decade or so since I had to use my powers like that," Kagome admitted. "Kurosaki-kun, you really shouldn't practice on your friend without knowing how to release her."

"I didn't intend to," Ichigo said.

"Yeah, the fool just said the name of the spell, waved his arms around and voilà," Rukia said.

"I see Inuyasha isn't the only one who learns by instinct."

"Yeah, but you know what they say, Okaa-san," Shippou said, wondering how he'd be punished for what he was about to say. "Once an idiot…" he trailed off suggestively.

_Always an idiot_… Kagome finished mentally, watching as Ichigo chased after her son. "Sometimes I wonder about that boy," she sighed.

"I know the feeling."


	9. It's Test Time

_A/N: Quite a handful to thank for reviews: **Nocturna Mae**, **KitElizaKing**, **Grimelark**, **Rabe Addler**, **Hidden Mask**, **Dark Inu Fan**, **Cuelebra del Sol**, and **AnimeFreakAmanda**. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. Have I really not updated this since February? It doesn't seem that long. My bad, sorry._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_It's Test Time_

Sesshoumaru sat across from his brother and studied the report in front of him critically. Inuyasha frowned at a similar paper, neither dog demon liking what they were reading. "Someone has been planning treason," the elder growled, the promise of death clear in his tone.

"Shippou said there was something in the wind. Whoever is in charge has really been keeping things close to the vest. Either they're not ready to make their move, or they know that we have kitsune spies in every nook and cranny of our domain."

"It is most likely both. It would not be hard to figure that we use Shippou's associates for our own ends. Kitsunes are the best at disguising themselves." Setting the report down, the youkai lord glanced out the window briefly. "I believe it is time to test those teenagers."

"So soon?"

"They are far more advanced than we gave them credit for. Besides, unless we have a traitor far closer to us than I believe, our interaction with them is still limited to our pack. It would be easy enough to send in someone they're not expecting."

"True. Who is going to think twice about a bunch of teenagers hiking in the woods at this time of year?" Inuyasha would have said more but Kagome poked her head into her brother-in-law's office just then and smiled at them. "So, have you made peace with the pups?"

"Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san were the only ones there at the time but they had other things on their mind. They didn't seem to mind my little slip."

"Indeed. It seems that it was fortuitous that you made that little mistake, imouto."

"Nii-san?" the miko questioned, having a feeling that she wasn't going to like what he said next.

"Yes, I have a job for them."

"Already? I do not think they are entirely ready for a mission."

"Ridiculous. This is not some arch-villain. It is simply a traitor that needs to be dealt with."

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru and sighed. "Oh, well, if it's only a traitor," she retorted sarcastically. "I guess that's different." She bit her tongue so that she didn't remind them that all of the traitors they'd dealt with in the past had turned _into_ arch-villains. She doubted the daiyoukai would appreciate the reminder.

"It is the logical choice." Sesshoumaru had become well acquainted with the priestess' expressions and inflexions over the centuries. He knew that she wasn't happy. Even after all this time her heart was still soft.

"Logical or not, they've just finished one war and you want to throw them into another."

"Hn."

Kagome knew when to quit. Sesshoumaru had made up his mind and there was no changing it. Sometimes she wondered who was more stubborn-the elder or the younger Taisho brother. "Inuyasha?" she questioned, hoping her mate would back her up.

"Keh, don't drag me into this. You both have valid points but this situation needs to be taken care of before they find out that we know about them."

"I suppose," the dark haired woman relented. "But you are forgetting one thing," she pointed out.

"What's that?"

"They have finals this week. You cannot possibly send them off until they are on vacation." She knew how to pick her battles.

Sesshoumaru was tempted to argue but Kagome was regarding both brothers with her stern maternal glare and he knew it was useless. "Very well."

A blinding smile was their reward. "Good, I'm glad that's settled." She turned to leave.

"One last question, imouto," her brother-in-law said, making the miko pause in the doorway.

"Yes?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Why do I spell charred fox?"

His only answer was hysterical laughter and an indignant yelp.

* * *

><p>It was not unusual for groups of friends to get together and study for tests. However, most study groups did not take place in mid air while Hollows tried to kill the members of said group. Textbooks had been set aside in favor of weapons and kido spells. "Watch where you're aiming that, Kurosaki!" Ishida yelled, barely dodging a Getsuga Tenshou in time to avoid an unwanted haircut.<p>

"Oh, come on, Ishida, it's not like it would have done much damage," the orange haired daiko shouted back, putting away his sword in favor of trying a spell.

"That wasn't nice, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime scolded from a nearby roof. "Ishida-kun could have gotten hurt. Or worse, one side of his head would have been shaved off and then he'd have to shave off the other side. He'd end up bald and have no choice but to go into the priesthood…" The Rikka wielder paused long enough to send Tsubaki after a small Hollow attempting to sneak up behind Chad.

"A truly horrifying thought, Inoue-san…" the Quincy said wryly, not for the first time wondering where her imagination came from. "And just why are we all out here? This paltry group would not take any one of us very long to get rid of."

"Personally, I was sick of quadratic equations and historical facts," Ichigo admitted.

"I see… And why are we all gathered at my place?" the archer continued, putting away his bow when Rukia took care of the last blighted soul.

"Your place is bigger, Ishida-kun," Orihime pointed out, re-pinning her hair so that her flowers wouldn't come loose.

"There's that," Ichigo agreed, glaring at Kon so that he didn't decide to take off with his body. "There's also the fact that my crazy father isn't likely to barge into your apartment just to harass us."

"You have a point." As far as the Quincy knew, the elder Kurosaki didn't even know where he lived, although considering he was an ex-Shinigami captain, he probably was able to sense the archer's reiryoku.

"You also do not have random Shinigami asking to bunk down in your room," Rukia added, returning to her gigai. Stretching briefly, the petite woman glanced at her group of friends. "Having my colleagues arrive unannounced is quite distracting. This advanced math is more complicated than I presumed."

"It wouldn't be if you'd done your homework yourself from the beginning," her partner groused, remembering the double amounts of math problems he'd written down over the course of her stay with him.

"Hah! I knew your handwriting looked a little too like Ichigo's," another voice said, Tatsuki coming to join them from where she'd "hidden." Normally she would have studied by herself but Orihime had begged her so she'd agreed to go along with the ginger haired teen. "I always thought it was odd when I collected the homework," the martial artist commented as the group headed back to Ishida's.

"Tch, I _told_ you someone was going to figure it out." The Vizard wasn't fast enough to dodge the elbow that jabbed him in the stomach, making him double over.

"You know, you're going to end up with a ruptured spleen one of these days if she keeps doing that." The Quincy smirked as he unlocked his door. Allowing his friends in first, he almost ran into them when they came to a complete stop in the entryway.

Adjusting his glasses, the archer peered around Chad's broad back in order to see what had disconcerted them. Lieutenant Ise was straightening the mess they'd left, her innate sense of order no doubt driving her to make sense of the _disorder_ that they'd made in their rush to take care of the Hollows.

The bespectacled second-in-command of Squad Eight glanced up and cleared her throat. "Forgive me for intruding. Your father let me in."

"What was _he_ doing here?" Ishida asked, his complexion paling. His sanctuary had been invaded.

"I am unsure. He said a great deal that I took to be nonsense so I disregarded everything that came out of his mouth." Nanao pushed her glasses back up and watched the teens' varied reactions.

"I see." A part of him would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for that encounter but he was still shocked that a Shinigami had dared enter his place without his permission to be amused at the thought of his father being ignored by a lieutenant of the Gotei Thirteen. "May I inquire as to what you are doing here, Lieutenant Ise?"

"I actually came to see Kurosaki-daiko and his father directed me here. However, I see that you are studying for your Living World exams so I will return another time."

"You might as well tell me, since you're here. It'd be a waste of your time for you to come back." Ichigo knew that she was the real person in charge of her division and he shuddered to think about what could happen in her absence. The Gotei was crazy enough without one of its only sane people missing from the helm. "We're just coming back from taking care of Hollows."

"All of you?" Nanao questioned, confusion wrinkling her brow briefly. "I would have thought one person was enough for that paltry number."

"One person would have been but it seems my classmates here needed a break."

"Ah, yes, that does seem to be the universal excuse for avoiding work." Blue-violet eyes narrowed on the guilty parties. "Perhaps you need some inspiration," she continued, lowering her glasses.

"We're inspired," Rukia rushed to assure her. "Aren't we, Ichigo?" she pressed, not wanting to experience the lieutenant without her glasses. There were rumors about what happened to Shinigami who saw Ise-fukutaicho without her glasses on.

"Sure," the daiko agreed, getting the feeling that he didn't want to find out why one of the oldest captains in the Gotei was afraid of his own subordinate.

"That's encouraging, because while I was straightening up, I noticed quite a few answers in your notes that were wrong. If you would like, to make up for the inconvenience of my intrusion, I would be happy to help you study. I've always been a fan of education."

The group of teens exchanged glances before several pairs of eyes zeroed in on Ishida. He met Nanao's eyes and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "We wouldn't want to keep you from your work."

"It would be no trouble," the older woman assured him. "I made provisions in the event that I would be delayed. My captain should be discovering them right about now." a satisfied smile came over her face and those that knew her captain suddenly felt sorry for him.

"Then by all means, join us," Ishida gave in, his tone gracious despite wanting to order her to leave. "The others would appreciate your help," he told her as he went to make tea. Invited or not, the woman was a guest and needed to be treated as such.

"They are not the only ones," Nanao said, making herself comfortable at the head of the table they had been using. "You seemed to have missed the answer to some very simple questions, Ishida-san."

"That's not like Ishida-kun," Orihime said, a frown forming on her brow. "He must have been distracted."

The others, remembering what had happened _before_ they'd gone to slay Hollows, kept their thoughts to themselves. "Yes, you could say that," Ishida agreed, his voice cracking slightly.

Nanao studied the group in front of her before focusing her senses on the Quincy's energy. It was distinctly flustered and embarrassed. "I see. Such things can happen. Now then, while he is making refreshments, I shall explain my original purpose."

"Please do," Ishida pleaded from the other room, thankful that the lieutenant was discreet. The last thing he needed was for the others to tease him about the reason he'd written down wrong answers.

"I have devised a plan to help Kurosaki-daiko excel in kido. It is rather unusual but I fear that is the only way to ensure that he has a grasp of the subject. Eventually he's going to have to learn it once he dies officially and enters the Academy so he might as well start now."

"Lieutenant Ise…" Ichigo began, his interruption unheard. She probably had plenty of experience ignoring others that tried to derail her instructions.

"To put things succinctly, we are going to take your Zanpakutou away from you and take someone that you hold dear hostage."

"Ise-san, telling us kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" Ichigo finally got out. "I mean, if that person is with one of you, I'd know they were safe."

"Who said we were going to leave that person with one of our own?" Eyes that glittered with purpose studied him while the lieutenant thanked the Quincy for the tea that he put in front of her.

The daiko furrowed his brows for a moment before his scowl deepened. "You couldn't possibly be reckless enough to send that person to Hueco Mundo without guards. I may have a friend or two over there but I couldn't guarantee that they'd help."

"That's precisely what I mean to do."

"Wait a minute, Lieutenant!" Rukia leaned forward, her hands clenched. "The only ones other than those here and his father that Ichigo really cares for don't have powers," she pressed, dread filling her. The twins came to mind too readily. Karin might be able to hold her own for a while but Yuzu would be a sitting duck.

"She's right, Ise-san," Tatsuki agreed. "Like myself, Ichigo's other friends don't have powers and some of them don't even have any spiritual awareness. His sister Karin might be able to put some energy into a soccer ball and go after small fry but she'd be no match for the monsters Orihime told me were in that place. And Yuzu can barely detect ghosts, never mind Shinigami and Hollows."

"I understand that you wish for me to learn but touch my sisters and I'll destroy you," Ichigo promised, dark and angry reiatsu brushing against everyone's senses.

"This entire discussion is pointless," Ishida started, understanding Ichigo's feelings. He had a soft spot for the youngest Kurosaki, mostly because she was completely different from the rest of her family. "You can now perform kido spells, remember," he continued, intent on preventing a battle. It was very difficult to get blood out of furniture fabric.

Nanao looked up from the textbook she had begun perusing, surprise lighting her duel colored eyes. "What do you mean? When I left you the last time, you were blowing yourself up."

"Yes, well, it turns out this fool was using too much power by saying the incantations." Rukia settled back onto her heels, turning her violet orbs to her partner. His reiatsu still rolled over them, the energy agitated.

"That's right, Ise-san!" Orihime shouted, clasping her hands. "Kurosaki-kun even used one just a little while ago to get rid of a Hollow. We all saw it."

"Well, then, I suppose my whole scheme is pointless, isn't it?" she asked, smiling slightly. Nanao had already known that the orange haired Vizard would go on the war path if one of his sisters was taken, so the threat alone should have been enough to spur on his advancement. Since the youngest sibling had no powers to speak of, Karin had always been the only choice. Naturally she would have ensured the girl's safety first and tucked her somewhere that the Arrancars that still held a grudge wouldn't find her.

"Quite," the Quincy said, glad that the discussion was over. Maybe they could get back to what was important.

"Now then, let us see where you are erring in your studies," the lieutenant continued, quite happy to abandon the previous discussion. Most of the teens groaned and she glared at them over the top of her glasses. "Come now, it's not like I'm asking you to fill out paperwork for the Gotei Thirteen. A simple study session should be no trouble for war heroes such as yourselves."

"Frankly, Lieutenant Ise, I would rather be doing paperwork," Rukia admitted. The reports she sent in about Ichigo's activities were far simpler than what she was facing in the next few days.

"I could always arrange that," the adjunct reminded the unseated officer. Considering all of the trouble that the group in front of her caused, she should make them fill out their own damage reports.

"No, thank you," Ichigo said, remembering the mounds of paper that always cluttered Toushiro's desk when he visited.

"I knew you'd see it my way." Nanao smiled and picked up the pen that was closest to her. The writing utensil was an improvement on the brush in terms of expediency. Perhaps she should consider purchasing some for her office. If she used a pen, maybe she'd get done in time to enjoy more of her books. It was something to think about anyway.

Now to make sure this group of teens excelled in their studies.

* * *

><p>Rukia groaned and flopped back onto Ichigo's bed, her head hitting the orange haired teen's leg. "Oi, go flop on your own bed," Ichigo growled, his eyes shut in an attempt to forget the last few days. After Lieutenant Ise's Spartan study session, he'd had so much information stuffed in his head, he was surprised it hadn't exploded. The finals themselves hadn't been any easier, asking questions from as far back as the first semester.<p>

"Shut up. Karin is still studying. I'd just disturb her." If she never saw another textbook, it would make her the happiest Shinigami in existence.

"So you're disturbing me instead."

"I figured you'd be in a similar state and wouldn't mind."

"Tch. I'm just glad that's all over with. Oh, and remind me not to join Squad Eight. I have a feeling that Ise-san would gladly give any and all her paperwork away if she could."

Opening one eye, the petite warrior looked at her partner. "Considering the amount of paperwork your shenanigans cause, any sane lieutenant would make it a point to ignore you upon your graduation from the Academy."

"There aren't many sane lieutenants in the Gotei Thirteen. There's Gramps' second, and maybe Unohana-san's, although I don't know her that well. Oh, and Ise-san." Mentally running through the list of adjuncts, Ichigo couldn't come up with another lieutenant that fit his qualifications of "sane."

"How long is vacation?"

"A couple of weeks or so, I'm not sure. I'm just glad that we passed." He could have looked at his calendar to answer her question but that would mean getting up and he didn't feel like moving.

"You know, if I didn't have to supervise your butt, I could go home and never see another test or textbook for the rest of my afterlife."

"If you left, you'd be bored to tears within the week." Ichigo smirked down at her before closing his eyes again.

Knowing that he was right, Rukia scowled but didn't argue. The monotony of her days had certainly disappeared since meeting the orange haired daiko. Allowing a small sigh to escape, the petite Shinigami shifted so that she could look out the window. The setting sun had painted the sky red and orange, reminding her of Ichigo's hair. "I probably should go back to the Soul Society for the length of the vacation. Captain Ukitake could probably use some help."

"Oh, you mean some that doesn't include arguments in stereo? I swear those third seats of yours need to chill out."

"Their hearts are in the right place," Rukia defended while of the same opinion.

"Yeah, I guess. I could go with you, help out too. Practice my kido someplace other than Urahara's basement."

Images of a completely destroyed training ground came immediately to mind. "Or, you could go over to the Eleventh and spar with Zaraki-taicho."

"Are you insane? I don't want to spend most of my vacation in the infirmary." Between his dad and Rukia, he got beat up enough. The last thing he wanted to do was spar with someone who thought fighting to the death was a great way to have fun.

"Oh, I know, since you want to _help_, you can fill out your own incident reports."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Disgust twisted Ichigo's features at the thought of writing one of the Gotei's lengthy reports.

"It's not hard, here I'll demonstrate." Sitting up, Rukia started to reach for her sketch pad. Ichigo had tossed it onto his pillow earlier when she'd shown him some of her latest creations.

Before she could complete the retrieval, Yuzu barged into the room. The youngest Kurosaki paused, unsure of what to say. Rukia was in a compromising position and her brother seemed to be in some sort of pain. "Onii-chan?" the girl finally asked.

"What do you want, Yuzu?" Ichigo managed, groaning under his breath as Rukia finished grabbing her pad of atrocities. No doubt the others would soon hear about the petite raven haired girl climbing over his lap. His dad would get the wrong idea and they'd have to spend the rest of the night correcting him.

"Mail came for you two. Looks like some sort of invitation." The sandy blonde twin came further into the room, looking around. There was no sign that anything inappropriate had been going on. Mentally shrugging, Yuzu deciding to keep what she'd seen to herself and handed the golden embossed envelopes to the two Shinigami.

Calligraphy danced across ivory paper and Ichigo was almost afraid to open it. Someone had clearly taken a lot of time to write out the letter by hand. The seal was made of wax and he slowly broke it open, reading the contents twice over just to make sure he understood. "Well, I guess we don't have to decide what to do for vacation," he said, watching as plane tickets dropped into his lap.

"Am I reading this right, Ichigo?" Rukia asked, shoving the invitation in his face.

"I think so."

"Was I right?" the younger twin asked, placing her hands behind her back and bouncing on heels.

"Yeah. According to this, we've been given some first class vacation package to an island resort in the Kerama Islands."

"Where's that?" Rukia asked, her geography not what it should be.

"They're in the South China Sea, southwest of Naha in the Okinawa Prefecture. I'd say it's about a five or six hour plane ride." It explained the tickets currently taking up residence in his lap.

"Wow, Onii-chan, I didn't know you'd entered a contest."

"I didn't, Yuzu. If I had to guess, I'd say these were courtesy of our new 'friends.'" Ichigo picked up the envelope again and studied the paper. It was certainly expensive.

Before Rukia could question him further, both of their phones rang. Yuzu watched them answer them in tandem, amazed that even their casual movements were in sync. Backing out of her brother's room, she decided not to tell him about it. He always became as red as a strawberry when he was teased about being close to Rukia.

Karin was waiting in their room for her, the textbooks she had been buried under put away in either triumph or defeat. "So, did you give them to Ichi-nii and Rukia-nee?"

"Uh-huh. It seems they've been invited to a new resort in the Kemara Islands. Pretty fancy if the invitation is anything to go by."

"I see. Well, I guess we'll be stuck home alone with Goat Chin for the duration of the vacation. Tell them that if they're going, they have to bring back souvenirs."

"For some reason, Karin-chan, I don't think they're going to be sightseeing." Yuzu straightened a corner of Rukia's blanket before sitting on the edge of the older girl's bed.

"Probably not. Ichi-nii's got his nose stuck in some weird business again."

"At least he's happy, Karin-chan."

"There's that."

* * *

><p>Unaware of his sisters' conversation, Ichigo was presently trying to calm his Quincy friend down. Ishida had called him the moment <em>he'd<em> read the invitation, insisting on a strategy meeting immediately. The archer preferred to talk about supernatural business in person, wary of security of cell phones. "Get a grip, Ishida. It's not like we didn't think they'd test us in some of other way. We've passed their expectations so they're stepping things up. And hey, an all expenses paid trip to a tropical island. We can't really beat that, now can we?"

"I think it's a splendid idea, Ishida-kun," Orihime said, her voice coming from Rukia's communicator on speaker. Her voice may have been a little muffled but apparently Ishida heard her because he caved instantly.

"I suppose. Very well, as long as we're all in agreement. And it will give me the opportunity to escape the necessity of working for my father this break. Will you call Sado, Kurosaki?"

"No need," Chad rumbled, his voice adding to the makeshift conference call. He'd rung Ichigo just before Ishida, allowing the daiko to connect their conversations.

"Great, so I guess we'll see each other at the airport tomorrow."

"Right." Ishida hung up without saying goodbye, the others doing so after the appropriate farewells.

"I need to send in a report. I don't think it's a good idea if we go with the Soul Society knowing. At the very least they should know where we are in case we need backup," Rukia declared. She had to admit to being just a tad excited. The closest she'd come to a vacation had been the day at the beach last year.

"Sure. I'll give Urahara a call and see if he can't keep an eye on the town for a while." Ichigo watched her shut herself in his closet, the crack in the door the only indication that she hadn't taken to hibernating in there again. He hadn't missed the excitement in her eyes, nor the bubbling jabber that she and Inoue had exchanged while Ishida was panicking. "Oh, well. We'll see how she deals with planes." Ichigo had visions of trying to explain the concept of flying to a woman nearly tem times his age and groaned.

Sometimes she was just like a little kid.

* * *

><p>Orange tinted sunlight brushed the room with the colors of sunset as the Taiyoukai of Japan spoke with his mother. "Did they receive their invitations?" he questioned, never certain she would do what she said she would.<p>

"Of course, do you take me for a fool? I had my personal assistant deliver them personally. We should see them arrive tomorrow evening, if they accept."

"Hn. They'll accept. I leave them in your care then, Mother."

"I will be the perfect hostess," the Lady of the West assured her son, not missing the slight sound of disbelief that came from him. "You're so cold, Sesshoumaru. Have a little faith in me."

We shall see. Oh, and you'll be getting some extra help for the spring vacation. Inuyasha's two youngest pups are being sent to work at the resort as punishment. Do use them as you need."

"Hmm… I do need an extra hand or two. I'll look forward to their arrival."

"They should be arriving at any moment." A loud crash on the lady's end of the phone let her son know his warning had come too late. "Ah, I see they've made it safely. I will speak to you later, Mother. Try not to kill each other."

"Insolent pup," his mother spat and hung up.

"It's always nice working with family," Sesshoumaru murmured and allowed a small smirk to appear. Let his mother put up with adolescent pups, both human and youkai. "She'll have grey hair for sure by the time this is all over."

It would serve her right for not telling him about the treason sooner.


	10. Cloak and Dagger

_A/N: Quite a few to thank for the last chapter: __**Pure-chan**__, __**BiblioMatsui**__, __**Grimelark**__, __**KitElizaKing**__, __**Rukia's**__**Reflection**__, __**Hidden Masked**__, __**Rabe Addler**__, __**A.M.P. 1008**__, __**SlyGuy**__, __**Dark Inu Fan**__, and __**Nocturna Mae**__. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. I know it's been a long while but I was quite busy personally. I hope you all enjoy this._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Cloak and Dagger_

With one hand gripping a large suitcase and the other pulling a delighted short Shinigami, Ichigo made his way through the mass of humanity that made up Haneda Airport. He ignored the dozens of questions Rukia threw at him, intent of checking in and getting through security in one piece. At least he wouldn't have to worry about getting Zangetsu or Sode no Shirayuki through the metal detectors.

Stopping in a line that winded itself to the correct airline, Ichigo took a moment to look at his companion. Irritation had lit her violet eyes with an intensity she usually reserved for battle or Chappy and he knew that he was in for some severe pain if he didn't start answering her myraid of questions. "All right, spill. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why we had to get up before the birds were evening awake."

"Because it takes forever to get through check in and security and our flight leaves at eight in the morning. We'll be lucky to see the terminal before seven thirty. Besides, I thought you wanted to go through the _full_ experience since it's your first time on a plane."

Rukia glared but settled for tilting her nose up at him and looking away. She was too tired to make a big deal about his treatment of her earlier just then. Later she'd get him back for dumping her out of her warm bed at three thirty in the morning.

"Hey, don't blame me, midget. I'm not the one that decided to get a flight so early in the morning at one of the busiest airports in the country. When we get on the plane, you can go back to sleep until we land in Naha."

"Well, now that I have your permission…" the petite woman began to snipe before a tantalizing smell was shoved under her nose. She stepped back briefly to focus on what was being offered and who was offering it before accepting the breakfast sandwich with gratitude. Ishida had come up behind them and saved his "enemy" from the hot temper of his small partner.

"Ishida, you're a lifesaver," the daiko breathed, accepting the other meal that was held out. The Quincy looked like he hadn't slept at all, dark blue eyes blurred behind slightly smudged glasses. The normally immaculate archer apparently had decided to provide breakfast for everyone else since he either couldn't, or wouldn't sleep the night before.

"Evidently, Kurosaki. Just be thankful and shut up. I have not had any sleep since eleven last night thanks to _someone_ giving Keigo Asano my private number."

"Wasn't me, man. I don't even let him call me. How'd he get your number?" Ichigo took a healthy bite of food, digging out his handkerchief with his free hand when Rukia got melted cheese on her fingers.

"Ichigo, what is this?" Rukia asked, savoring the small bite she'd taken after speaking.

"It's called a breakfast sandwich. A Western food. Not exactly the healthiest thing to eat in the morning but it's better than nothing and convenient for those of us who have to get up so early. Despite lack of sleep, our Quincy friend here had a stroke of genius in the middle of the night."

"Thank Inoue-san. She offered to make us all something to eat while we waited in line but I saved us by telling her I'd already done so."

"Inoue? When did you speak to her?"

"I believe it was about four thirty this morning when I was attempting to take a shower. Apparently she had been so excited that she couldn't sleep at all." Ishida looked over his shoulder as he sensed one of their friends, smiling slightly at the ginger haired woman being led by a drowsy martial artist. Silently he held out two morning "instant" breakfasts, getting almost silent thanks in return.

Chad appeared shortly after that, accepting a sandwich silently, a large duffle over one shoulder. He murmured a greeting, his expression saying that he'd had no more sleep than anyone else. The breakfast treat was consumed in minutes, a white and blue napkin used daintily for one so big.

"Let me guess, Keigo?" Tatsuki asked, taking a swig of her coffee, sighing in relief as the caffeine began to work its magic.

"Aa…"

"Why did Keigo call you guys anyway?" Ichigo asked.

"Ichigo…!"

"Never mind," the orange haired daiko retracted, trying to ignore the flaying arms of his classmate. Thankfully there were several people in between the obnoxious teen and the rest of the group. Aside from Orihime, who looked like she was sleeping on her feet, none of the others were in a mood to put up with the younger Asano.

"I'm guessing that Arisawa-san, Asano, and Kojima were 'invited' to come as well." Rukia finished her meal, wiping her hands carefully on Ichigo's handkerchief. Folding it so that none of the grease or extraneous cheese would get on his clothes, she handed it back to the war hero, who tucked it unceremoniously into his back pocket before moving forward in the line.

"Yeah, I got home yesterday after practice and there was the invitation. I thought my parents were going to faint. I was planning on going to a tournament over vacation but Mom insisted I accept and then Orihime called and…" Tatsuki trailed off shrugging. The others knew that the healer had convinced her best friend to come.

"And I bet Keigo was so excited to be invited to a tropical island that he didn't even think of the real reasons behind the glitzy invite and Mizuiro saw it as a chance to pick up women." Ichigo plopped the heavy suitcase onto the scale and turned to speak with the airline worker. He was thankful that it hadn't taken as long as he'd thought to get through the line.

"That's my guess," his childhood friend said, digging out her ticket. She'd packed as lightly as possible but had ended up with a small suitcase anyway.

"Lovely," Ishida muttered, the next to check in. The _last_ thing they needed was to babysit those two idiots. Arisawa could hold her own and he was certain that eventually she'd develop a real power thanks to her interaction with so many Shinigami and other powerful beings lately.

The others went through the process relatively easily, Keigo the only who got hassled and that was likely because he'd fooled around. Security was another matter entirely and the gang had to cover for Rukia, explaining to the overeager guard that she had never flown before and hadn't been aware of the procedures before that morning. By the time they got to the terminal, it was almost time to board and had anyone else had the time to look, they would have seen a group of teens nearly running towards their flight.

"I hate flying," Rukia commented, laying her head against Ichigo's shoulder with a sigh of exhaustion.

"We're not even in the air yet, Rukia. Just put on your seatbelt and turn off your Soul Pager. You can make up your mind after we've taken off."

"What's a seat belt?" she asked, rousing just enough to hear him click his tongue in disgust.

"Remind me to teach you about modern conveniences again when we get home," Ichigo grumbled under his breath. Really, her cluelessness amazed him sometimes. Reaching around her, he pulled the safety devise out from its holder and fastened it across her lap.

"Oh, these things. They were here the first time I came to the World of the Living. I didn't have a lot of time to explore, but I do remember seeing these. The people in cars wear them so that they don't fall out of the vehicle." Rukia gave him a bright smile, happy that she could tell him something about the material world that was correct and he couldn't laugh at her.

"Close enough. Now the pager. You don't want the pilot to get a wrong reading on his instruments and land us in the ocean on accident."

How could my Soul Pager interfere with those?" she asked curiously although she did as he said. She was apprehensive enough as it was about flying twenty thousand or so feet up in the air. There was no way she was adding to the possibility, no matter how slight that they would crash.

"I guess a signal meant for our phones could throw off the reading of an instrument that a pilot needs to take off and land. You'll have to ask a pilot for a real explanation."

"Oh, so the great Ichigo Kurosaki doesn't know everything."

"Never said I did, midget," he said, tapping her on the forehead. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you when we land." The daiko smirked slightly when she did, figuring that she'd be irritated when she realized later that she'd taken orders from him. A flight attendant smiled at them as she went by and he asked for a blanket to put over Rukia's small form. The Shinigami might have ice as her Zanpakutou's element but she wasn't impervious to the cold.

"You do know that she's going to be angry at you when you wake her up in two hours." Ishida, who had the misfortune to be seated across the aisle from the pair in permanent denial cleaned off his glasses and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. If he fell asleep now, Chad would have to carry him off the plane.

"Two hours? I thought it was going to take almost five to get to the islands."

"Our destination is Kuma-jima. It takes slightly over two hours to go from Tokyo to Naha and another thirty minutes to get to the island. If you count the layover that we are going to have, then yes, I suppose it is going to take approximately five hours to reach the Kemara Islands. However, you are going to have to wake her up when we disembark." "No, I'm not. I'll simply carry her and her carryon off and let her keep snoozing. If we were going to be in the air for the length of time I first thought, then I'd wake her like I'd originally planned."

The Quincy stared at the over head compartment where Rukia had had Ichigo stow her pink, bunny covered carryon. "Remind me to take a picture." The great Shinigami daiko carrying a girl's luggage plus her would be something that several people would pay a lot to see. No doubt he could make quite the nest egg off the profits. There was also the possibility of some blackmail if the occasion warranted it in the future.

"Gee, thanks." Ichigo knew exactly why Ishida wanted the picture. "Just remember that if Byakuya got a hold of it, I'm not the only one who would feel the sharp edge of his pretty pick petals."

The archer had no come back but still contemplated the pros and cons of taking a memento. Rukia shifted, drawing his attention and he caught the softening of amber eyes as they studied the young woman. "You know, one of these days, you're going to have to confess," Ishida said conversationally, enjoying the startled glance thrown his way.

"Confess to what?" Ichigo demanded.

"Never mind," the Quincy sighed and took out a book to occupy his time.

Forget permanent denial, the two Shinigami sitting across from him were just plain oblivious.

* * *

><p>Concealed emerald eyes watched the passengers in the business class section of the plane and narrowed when they landed on the two tails their owner had been warned about. Apparently, word had gotten around about strangers visiting the island and suspicions had been raised. It seemed that the Lady of the West hadn't been as clever as she'd thought she'd been. No doubt she'd been watched from the beginning and her spur of the moment "prize" to several lucky teens hadn't gone without notice.<p>

Holding back the urge to curse, illusion hidden claws tapped lightly on the tray before the youkai fingers they belonged to dug out a piece of paper and a writing utensil. It was too dangerous to phone the "Substitute Group" as there was no telling how well the tails could hear even above the noise of the passengers and the engines.

Getting up clumsily from his seat, the kitsune agent stumbled a few times for effect before making his way to the bathrooms in the front of the section. After several minutes he returned, making sure to bump the shoulder of the leader and trip over his own feet for good measure. Returning to his post, he was able to pick up the grumbling of the teen, several words not for the ears of the children sitting behind him. Pulling out his phone, he sent a quick message to his adoptive father, not surprised when the answer he got back was short and to point:

_Keh, your job's done. Get back here. Leave the rest to them._

Without bothering to reply, a tired Shippou closed his eyes and tried to rest. Maintaining such an elaborate cover was difficult. He hadn't had to pretend to be a kid for at least half a century. Of course, getting up at the crack of dawn hadn't helped either. Youkai or no youkai, he was a young man and he needed his sleep after a night out on the town. Not that he would complain to his uncle or father.

He rather liked the way his head sat on his shoulders.

* * *

><p>If anyone thought it odd that a teenaged boy was carrying a girl his age through the terminal, no one said anything. Another adolescent their age was right behind them with double the normal luggage and two purses while a large young man added to the line with what appeared to be more carryon bags and making it look effortless. Others trailed and it was obvious to the few adults that weren't rushing about that spring vacation had started for some school and they'd been lucky enough to get out of the city.<p>

A large area was cleared for them, making the tall orange haired "delinquent" scowl with irritation. A few appreciative sighs went around when some of the women noticed how gently he set a dark haired girl down but other than that, the group that stared at them didn't change their minds about the teenagers.

"You shouldn't let it get to you, Ichigo," Tatsuki said, setting down Rukia's belongings beneath the seats she was occupying.

"Che," her childhood friend replied.

"Shouldn't she have woken up by now? I can't believe she slept through getting off the plane and walking through most of the airport."

"Kurosaki has blanketed her in his reiatsu. I doubt Kuchiki-san's felt or heard anything but the faintest of movements or noises since she fell asleep," Ishida replied, watching with amusement as red crept up the daiko's neck.

"Oh, I see," the martial artist said knowingly.

"Shut up!" Ichigo hissed. "I just don't want her complaining about getting woken up again. If the midget does it on her own, then she can't blame me for disturbing her."

"Yes, I can," an alto voice muttered. Violet eyes gazed up at amber orbs, a distinctively malevolent quality to them.

"Good morning, Kuchiki-san," Ishida greeted, wondering if she was going to hit her partner.

"How long have I been asleep?" Rukia asked, nodding to the Quincy in return.

"We hadn't taken off from Haneda yet when you conked out," Ichigo told her. "Did you get enough beauty sleep?"

"Do you _want_ her to hit you?" Tatsuki asked, taking her eyes off the duo long enough to check on Orihime. The healer had slumped against Chad's side, apparently still exhausted from her all-nighter. Keigo was contemplating taking a picture of the defenseless girl but one kick to the ribs from the other dark haired girl in the group changed his mind.

"Perhaps he likes it," Mizuiro offered, the first thing any of them had heard out of the playboy that morning.

"Like hell I do," Ichigo growled, tempted to hit his friend.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe he's on to something," the petite Shinigami teased. "Let me test that theory," she threatened, holding up a small fist. "You never did tell me exactly how long I was sleeping." "Two and a half hours, all right?" the orange haired young man snapped. "We got here a lot sooner than I thought. Right now we're in a layover. We have to wait about another two and a half hours before our flight to the island. You can go back to sleep if you want."

"Why's it called a layover?"

"I would think that's rather obvious, Rukia," her daiko grumbled, giving a small wave to the room at large. Several other people were either lying on the ground or slumped in chairs asleep. They had been waiting a lot longer than the group of teens.

"Ah."

"It simply means a break between parts of a trip in this case, Kuchiki-san," Ishida corrected. "Since we are taking two planes to our destination, the time in between them is the layover."

"I see. That makes sense, I suppose." Sitting up straighter, Rukia ran one hand over her hair, silently horrified at the mess it had become. "Ichigo, let me borrow your comb."

"Hell, no, use your brush."

"It's packed away in the suitcase."

"Why didn't you put it in your carryon or your purse?"

"Because I had to make room for other things."

"You know, midget, sometimes…" Ichigo began but dug out the needed accessory anyway. There would be time to yell at her later about commandeering his things.

"Hey, look, Ichigo _does_ own a comb!" Keigo celebrated.

"Yes, something to cheer about," Ishida muttered, unimpressed. Glancing around, he spotted two men that were paying far too much attention to the high school students. They quickly looked away when they noticed that he'd seen them but it made the Quincy suspicious.

Slipping a hand into his pocket, he was about to bring their spectators to the others' attention when he felt a piece of paper crinkle against his hand. An almost infinitesimal trace of _youki_ met his senses and he turned away, making sure that they couldn't see what he was doing.

Opening the paper, he was met with a crayon written message and had to squint to make out the writing:

_You're being followed. Use the utmost caution until you get into the privacy of your hotel rooms._

"Is something the matter, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked in a whisper, rubbing one eye as she woke.

"No, nothing. Arisawa-san, perhaps you should take Inoue-san and Kuchiki-san to the bathroom to freshen up a bit."

Tatsuki glanced at him in surprised. Ishida didn't usually talk to her unless it was necessary. "Sure. Come on, Hime." Rukia followed the other two girls, giving the archer an inquiring glance. He said nothing in reply until he knew whether the two tails would follow the girls or split up.

Predictably they split up and he was confident that at least one of girls would notice that they were being followed. Waiting a moment more, he passed the message secretly to Ichigo, knowing that Chad could see over the daiko's shoulder. "Ah, a note from my old man. Stupid goat chin."

"Ichigo," Chad said, as if to scold him.

"Aa," he returned, having caught the unique energy signature. "I'll have to thank him when I get home."

"What did it say?" Keigo inquired.

"The usual. Something stupid about not getting Rukia pregnant since we were going to be all alone."

"But you and she aren't going out."

"That's not what he thinks. He's an idiot, I thought you knew that," Ichigo continued as if everything was normal.

"That's no way to treat your elders, Ichigo," Mizuiro put in. He'd seen the serious look Ishida had had when he'd read the note the first time but didn't point out that the piece of paper had originally come from dark haired boy's pocket. It was obviously something far more serious than Ichigo was making it out to be but also knew that now was not the time to ask for an explanation.

"Yeah, well, you don't live with this 'elder.'"

"True."

Keigo shrugged, all interest in the note gone. "Huh, I wonder what's taking the girls so long."

"They're girls, Keigo. And there are three of them so obviously things are going to take three times as long as it should. Just leave them alone. They'll come back eventually.

They did eventually come back; escorted by two security guards and an apologetic public relations clerk. By the actions of the fourth, the girls were evidently the victims, not the troublemakers. "Ichigo!" Rukia cried, fake tears making her violet eyes seem a lot larger and more vulnerable than they usually were. She ran to him and he automatically put his arm around her without questioning her acting.

"What happened?" he demanded, feeling the Shinigami in his embrace tremble with laughter. To an outsider it would look like he was comforting her not hiding her amusement.

"Some jackass attacked Kuchiki-san on our way into the ladies' room," Tatsuki explained. "Don't worry, I gave him a beating he won't forget anytime soon."

"I see," Ichigo commented, at a lost for words. The tail had probably been the culprit and he almost felt sorry for the guy, although he had likely gotten off with a far less beating from the martial artist than he would have had Rukia actually defended herself.

"We need her to make a statement but Kuchiki-san refused to go anywhere without her boyfriend," one of the officers said, looking at the orange haired man holding the still crying girl. "I take it that's you."

"Yes, they are together," Ishida said, pinching Keigo when he would have contradicted him. "Why don't we all go? There is still time before our next flight and I'm sure that the girls would be more comfortable if we were with them," the archer continued.

"As you wish, sir."

They were half way to the airport security office when they were suddenly pulled into a private corridor and led to a private plane hanger. "What now?" Keigo exclaimed.

"Contingency plans, sir," the second officer said. "Your bags have been switched to a private plane that is owned by His Majesty. We were informed by Lord Shippou that something dangerous might occur so we were just waiting for the opportunity to arise to get you out of the mainstream. The second tail has already left the airport, not wanting to be associated with his partner. They'll never know exactly when you got to the island."

"This feels all very cloak and dagger, Ichigo. Maybe you should explain what is going on," the playboy said.

"Sure, if I _knew_ what was going on."

"I'm afraid that explanations will have to wait until you are with her ladyship. His majesty's mother is the only one with the clearance to tell you what is going on. Please wait just a bit longer, Asano-san," the first guard offered.

"I knew this was too good to be true," Tatsuki grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuki-chan, I thought I told you we had been invited by the Taishos," Orihime apologized.

"No, somehow, that seemed to have slipped your mind. Oh, well. At least I got to use some of my karate."

"I'm sure that you'll be using a lot more in the near future, Arisawa-san," the taller of the two guards said. "Is Kuchiki-san truly all right?"

"I'm fine, sir," Rukia answered, moving away from Ichigo. She wiped tears of mirth away from her eyes and smiled at the one asking out of concern. "I believe that's the most fun I've had acting in ages."

"That's the first time it hasn't completely sucked too," Ichigo muttered. Rukia still heard him and he got a bruised shin for his trouble. "Why, you little…" "Kurosaki-kun, how _could _you?" she asked in her fake "school girl" voice. "Don't I mean anything to you at all?" Ichigo didn't answer, merely ruffled her hair to annoy her. The normality of the moment relaxed the others and they temporarily forgot what had happened.

There was only so much cloak and dagger they could handle at once.


	11. Welcome to the Insane Asylum

_A/N: A baker's dozen to thank for the reviews of the last chapter: __**Dark Inu Fan**__, __**NieveDrop**__, __**BiblioMatsuri**__, __**Grimelark**__, __**Asezuna**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, "__**Guest**__," __**KitElizaKing**__, __**Carrie96235**__, __**Nocturna Mae**__, __**Dashita Tichou**__, __**dragonlord1337**__, and __**AnimeFreakAmanda**__. And thank you to everyone who put this or its author on their lists. I probably should put a warning here. I mean Sesshoumaru's mother __**is**__ meeting the "Substitute Group" for this first time. Hilarity is sure to ensue. Or you know, insanity, considering that his mother isn't exactly in her right mind._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_Welcome to the Insane Asylum_

The Taiyoukai of Japan's plane was decorated in tasteful beige that colored everything from the plush leather seating to the fifteen hundred count Egyptian cotton curtains blocking the majority of the sunlight from the interior. The cherry wood paneling that hid the TV and gaming console from view was engraved with the Taisho seal and every other surface that Ichigo and the others could see. If having the clan symbol stamped on everything from a drinking glass to the toilet wasn't arrogance at its most incredulous, the teens didn't know what was.

Rukia, a little stunned at the blatant show of ownership, was beginning to think that as far as a superiority complex went, Sesshoumaru Taisho had her brother beat by a kilometer. Settled into a seat next to her partner, she was almost afraid to touch the beverage she'd been offered for fear of breaking the crystal goblet rimmed with gold.

Keigo, unaware of his friends' disquiet, knocked back the soda like it was water and put his feet up, intent on flipping through as many satellite channels as possible on the flat screen TV that hung above the doorway to the cockpit. "This is the life," he boasted, fiddling with the volume until it was comfortable for his human ears. It had been so low that he'd barely been able to hear the news anchor that had appeared when he'd first turned it on.

"This is an outright show of wealth," Ishida said in disgust. "Although, you have to be impressed with the fabrics. I do not think I've ever seen such high quality before," he continued, studying the curtains.

"Trust Ishida to be won over by curtains," the brunet teen said, accepting another glass of soda from the attendant that had served him before.

"His Majesty insisted on only the best," the dog demoness informed them, defending her liege instinctively. "You should be thankful that my emperor only put his clan's emblem on everything. In the old days, demons used to mark their territory in a different manner…" she trailed off, letting them come to their own conclusions as she walked swiftly out of the room. The black inu really hated human children.

"If she means what she implied, I guess we do have to be thankful." Ichigo's trademark scowl twisted in revulsion. "Try not to anger anyone, Keigo. We are several thousand feet up in the air. I'd hate to have to rescue you in my Shinigami form because someone tossed you out an open door."

"Ichigo," Rukia began, "You're more likely to do that than anyone else," she pointed out.

"Che," the orange haired daiko scoffed. Picking up the glass of juice he'd accepted, Ichigo drank most of it before setting the crystal on the Carrara marble table in front of him. Rukia sighed and picked it up before it could leave a water stain, setting it on the coaster that he'd completely ignored. She quickly mopped up the condensation, admiring the golden flecks in the surface as she did so.

"Have some respect for the furnishings. This happens to be _Bianco Venetino_ Carrara marble."

"How the hell do you know that?" he demanded, the others looking at her in surprise.

"I am a noble," she shot back haughtily.

He stared at her critically for several moments before grinning. "Yuzu made you sit through a designing program again, didn't she?"

"Yes," she admitted weakly. Their friends chuckled, relaxing for the first time since getting on the first class private jet. Tatsuki reached around Orihime to grab the remote from Keigo, startling the class clown into falling out of his seat. The healer fussed over him for a few seconds before an arrow made of _reishi_ clipped him in the arm for making an inappropriate move on her.

Ichigo ignored the byplay, not batting an eye when Tatsuki decided to pound Keigo into the thick carpet for his lechery. Instead he glanced down at the glossy black hair of the petite Shinigami next to him and allowed his gazed to rake over her long enough to assure himself that she had just been acting when she'd been upset over the attack. "Rukia…"

"I really am fine, baka. Sode no Shirayuki suggested frying his demonic hide with kido but that would have confirmed any suspicions the tail might have had so I had to play the helpless princess while Tatsuki 'defended' me. The only thing he did was grab my arm." She showed him the slight bruise, frowning at the sight. "His grip was tighter than I thought. Nothing a healing spell won't fix," she said hurriedly, sensing the boiling caldron of anger next to her. His temper had been on simmer throughout the incident and she wasn't too surprised that he was ready to blow his top. Sometimes he forgot that she wasn't as helpless as she had been when they'd first met.

"Let me," he demanded softly and hesitantly began pushing his energy into her. The bruising healed quickly, much to her surprise. She hadn't taught him any healing kido and as far as she knew, no one else had either.

"Ichigo…"

"I asked the old man for some pointers. You and Inoue aren't always going to be around to heal me or one of the others if we get into a jam so it's probably best that someone besides you two girls knows how to heal a cut or two. Besides, if this thing with the Taisho clan gets dangerous, Keigo and Mizuiro might get hurt too. I can at least slow the bleeding until one of you can get to them."

"I suppose I should commend you on your foresight." Rukia touched her arm where the bruise had been, flushing slightly when his spiritual energy hummed beneath her skin. Smiling slightly, she gingerly picked up her drink. "Thank you," she whispered, almost too quietly for him to hear.

"Hn," he replied, uncomfortable with her gratitude. He would rather she scoff or declare that she wouldn't thank him.

"Don't get cocky," she returned, a smirk appearing across pink lips. "I can still grind your kidneys into dust," she continued, lifting a brow meaningfully.

"It's not my kidneys I'm worried about, it's my spleen," he retorted.

"Idiot," she returned, aiming for his side with her elbow.

"Violent midget," he cursed, scooping her up into his lap and holding her arms tightly to her side.

Ishida and Chad exchanged looks of amusement and the archer decided to save the pair from themselves as he saw Mizuiro zero in on the unintentional intimate moment. Of course, Ichigo was likely to need a new organ or two after he said something but it was far better than death if the Kuchiki princess got embarrassed by what the playboy would utter. "It won't be much longer before we land. Perhaps you could save killing each other for when we are safely on the ground."

The two partners stilled in their physical argument and glanced at the Quincy as one. Red crept from their necks upward as they realized the position they were in and Ichigo calmly set Rukia back in her seat. "I was not trying to kill him," Rukia said in self-defense, trying to recover some of her dignity.

"Just maim me," Ichigo added, clearing his throat loudly while shooting Mizuiro a glare that promised early passage into the Soul Society if he said anything.

"Maiming's too good for you," Rukia shot back, crossing her arms and looking out the window at the tropical blue of the sea. Spotting a button underneath the small pane of glass, she pressed it, wondering if it would roll down the window so she could get some air. She was suddenly uncomfortably hot.

Instead of opening the window, several hidden panels opened to reveal blades of various sizes and shapes. The hilts were wrapped in silk and the sheaths made of dark wood. "Now isn't that interesting," Tatsuki murmured, tempted to pick up a blade and use it on one of the males in the room. Which one was still up for debate. Ichigo had gotten chummy with Rukia in front of Orihime, unintentionally hurting the gentle girl, while Ishida had had to point out the fact that they were getting a little too close for comfort. Chad hadn't said a thing, which could have been the worst offense while Keigo and Mizuiro had been contemplating any number of perverted things to say or gesture.

"This is more like it," Keigo said, reaching for the closest weapon, a katana about the same size as Sode no Shirayuki.

"I wouldn't," Chad said softly, figuring that it was probably protected by some sort of magic. They were obviously not to be toyed with and could likely do quite a bit of damage if the occasion called for it.

"Ah, Chad, buddy, don't worry, I'm sure nothing…" Keigo's words trailed off as a surge of lightning shot out of the sheath and electrocuted him. The brown haired adolescent collapsed into his seat, unconscious.

"Asano-kun!" Orihime gasped, calling for Ayame and Shun'o. Her earlier upset forgotten, she concentrated on making sure her classmate wasn't permanently hurt. It wouldn't due for him to spend his entire vacation in the hospital.

"Rukia, maybe you should push the button again so that the panels close. We don't need anyone else getting hurt." As tempting as it was to pick up the taiyoukai's swords, Ichigo wasn't about to get electrocuted or worse because curiosity got the better of him. Nor was he about to let any of his friends do the same.

"Aa," the petite woman agreed. Hitting the button again, Rukia sighed in relief when the weaponry was hidden once more. She was thankful that Renji and his friends from the Eleventh weren't there. A vision of several blown holes in the side of the plane came to mind when she thought about how they would have reacted to the secret stash.

"Good thing Ikkaku and them aren't here." Ichigo grinned at her wryly and she only nodded. It was strange how they often thought alike.

"Excuse me," the flight attendant interjected, frowning. She should have asked her leader to secure that device in the beginning so that the swords wouldn't be discovered. "You have a call on the video feed."

"Call?" Ichigo asked in confusion. "As far as I know the only ones who know where we are, are the Taishos." He hadn't even told his dad the full story although he was pretty sure that Urahara would blab once applied to for information.

"It's her ladyship."

Ishida glanced at his friend and mouthed a question. The honorific could have meant several people as far as they knew so the reference wasn't any help at all. "I beg your pardon but who are you refering to?"

The demoness gave him a look filled with superiority and smirked. "I see you haven't had the pleasure of meeting the future emperess. I _refer_ to the demoness who is going to marry His Majesty one day soon. She rarely appears in public but has a great deal of influence in the court."

"That's probably because she wields a great deal of influence with the taiyoukai," Ichigo muttered and received a glare from the attendant.

"That will be enough, Sasha. Please go back into the cockpit and make sure my brother doesn't crash land the plane." A young woman with silver hair appeared on the television screen, white ears much like Inuyasha's twitching on her head. Her violet eyes were pale in color but they were distinctly otherworldly and filled with a confidence that told everyone that she had power and knew how to use it.

"Yes, my lady." The black dog demoness bowed to the screen and returned to the questionable pilot.

"Now then, I hope you haven't had any more trouble than what you've already encountered in the airport. I sincerely apologize. I've been against this idea from the beginning and wish that you were visiting our new resort for entirely different reasons." She looked completely serious and even bowed slightly to show her regret.

"Thank you, but I doubt we would ever be able to afford a vacation at this resort," Ichigo replied.

"Speak for youself," Ishida murmured, bringing a smile to the woman's face. "The demoness did not tell us your name, madam. Perhaps you would be so kind as to introduce yourself?"

"Forgive me. I am known as Lady Chise and as you've heard, there is a rumor going about that I am to become Sesshoumaru's bride." The tone of her voice let them know that the subject had not been decided upon entirely and Sesshoumaru's low growl in the background said otherwise.

"Chise-sama, what can we do for you?" Rukia asked politely.

"Oh, no, dear, I don't need anything. I just wanted to make sure that everything was all right."

"Yes, aside from Asano-kun getting electrocuted by a sword, we're all just fine," the other noblewoman answered.

"Electrocuted? Sesshoumaru, I told you that you shouldn't have sent that plane!" Chise yelled over her shoulder. The tall demon came into view and they saw his small shrug.

"What did you want me to do, send the one with laser assault rifles?" he asked, expression deadpanned as usual.

"How about a normal plane that doesn't shout obscene wealth and military power?" the woman argued and it was no longer a surprise to the teens why she hadn't agreed to marry him.

"Ridiculous."

"Ano, excuse us, my lord and lady, but I believe the plane is about to land," Orihime began hesitantly.

"Ah, thank heavens. Just one more thing before we leave. Do be careful of Sesshoumaru's mother."

"Why, I thought she was supposed to help us," Ichigo said.

"Well, yes, she is, it's just… She's not entirely sane…" Chise trailed off right before the connection was cut.

"_What_?" Tatsuki yelped and began to glare at her childhood friend. "Just what did she mean by that? And just _what_ have you gotten me into Ichigo?" she demanded, forced to sit still because of the plane's descent.

"Oh, you know, the usual."

"The _usual_?"

"He means the same thing that he's always dragged us into," Ishida said on a sigh. "Meeting crazy people, getting into dangerous fights, and basically saving the world. The usual."

"I ought to kill you," she growled.

"Not much point," Ishida continued, knowing that her anger wasn't directed at him. "It seems that no matter how many times he gets run through, he keeps coming back."

"Ishida-kun," Orihime scolded, aghast.

"There's no point in hiding anything from her, Inoue-san. She's already met Urahara and Yoruichi-san, not to mention that she survived a direct confrontation with Aizen. She's been a part of this little adventure from the start so we might as well drag her into the whole thing."

Tatsuki, still contemplating sending Ichigo to the Soul Society, stared at the Quincy in shock. "Gee, thanks. Just what I always wanted."

"Come on, guys, relax. How bad could this lady possibly be?"

Ishida looked at the daiko and sighed in resignation. "You had to jinx us, didn't you?" When Ichigo only shrugged, the archer thought strongly about asking his father to prescribe something for his nerves. If Ryuuken's relationship with Isshin Kurosaki was anything like his with Ichigo, it really was no wonder that the doctor was a complete jerk. It was either ignore the problems of the spiritual world (never mind his claim that it wasn't profitable) or get dragged into the insanity.

Too bad Ishida hadn't realized that until it was too late.

* * *

><p>The "Substitute Group" debarked quickly, thankful to be on dry land again as Lady Chise's brother hadn't been particular about how he treated the plane as it touched down. The fight attendant had given them a cheerful wave goodbye, most likely glad that they were leaving. She had made no effort to hide the fact that she thought their business with her emperor was unnecessary and that they did not deserve to be in the presence of the Taisho clan, let alone working with or for them.<p>

Naturally Ichigo had ignored her opinions the entire time he'd had to put up with her and hadn't even bothered to bid her goodbye before helping Rukia off the plane. The others had politely said farewell, earning only a nod in return. Once they'd gotten safely out of the private yet, they'd been met with more youkai servants who had unloaded their luggage without a word. Only one had deigned to say anything at all and that was just for them to follow.

The trek to the resort took them through a small jungle, deep pools of turquois water dotting the area with colorful fish and other creatures that were most likely demonic. The path wound around part of the island until they came out near a beach of what looked like white sand. A patio and veranda separated the main building from the beach, chairs and tables set out so that visitors could enjoy the sights without getting too close.

"It's beautiful," Orihime breathed, tugging on Tatsuki's hand. "Aren't you glad you came, Tatsuki-chan?"

"It is nice," the martial artist allowed, not ready to be taken in by the scenery.

"I can't believe it's this warm in March," Rukia said, tilting her face up to the sun. Back in Karakura, they would have still been dressing in sweaters and coats.

"We're in the subtropics now. It gets considerably warmer here throughout the year than at home," Ishida informed them, reading from the informational packet he'd picked up sometime during his restless night.

"Do you think it'll be warm enough for us to swim?" Mizuiro asked, his eyes falling on a tall woman with red curly hair. She apparently sensed his interest because she turned his head and stared at him with intense green eyes. Tilting her head slightly, she studied the group for several moments before turning her nose up and heading towards a brown haired man who called for her. A trio of children circled around her and the group groaned as one at the playboy.

"Have a little restraint, Mizuiro," Ichigo chided. "I know that you like older women but can you at least keep from trying to pick up women who are married? She even had children."

"Sorry, but I didn't realize she was married, or a mother. And did you notice anything different about her?" the raven haired teen asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, she didn't fall for your innocent boy charm," Keigo returned, almost cheerfully.

"No, it wasn't that…" Mizuiro trailed off.

"I will explain it to you later," Ishida assured the other adolescent. As far as they knew, they were back in enemy territory. It wouldn't do to tell his classmate that he had just taken an unhealthy interest in a demon.

"What do you know about women?" Mizuiro asked, wondering what the archer had picked up on that he'd missed.

"Apparently far more than you do," the Quincy returned.

"But you don't even date," his classmate continued to argue.

"One does not have to date to know something about the opposite gender," Ishida pointed out, holding the door open for Orihime and Tatsuki. He allowed Ichigo to grab a hold of it before entering, giving Rukia the opportunity to berate the orange haired Shinigami for not letting her go ahead of him.

"Ishida-kun's always a gentleman," Orihime put in, smiling softly at the archer.

"Thank you, Inoue-san," he replied, blushing slightly.

"You're welcome."

"I see," Mizuiro said, giving a smile of his own. He saw far more than the head of the class wanted him to.

Chad had been leading the group and without checking to see how close they were, stopped abruptly in the middle of the foyer. Keigo bumped into his back, bouncing off the rock hard muscles and into Tatsuki, creating a domino effect. Only Ichigo, who'd brought up the rear, managed to prevent himself from stumbling and that was only because he was used to getting pushed by powerful forces.

"Chad, why did you stop?" Keigo asked, coming to his feet. Tatsuki had shoved him away as soon as he'd made contact with her and he'd ended up on the marble floor.

"Look," the tall young man said and the others looked around. Several employees dashed back and forth with either luggage or papers, making it seem as if organization was not a priority. A maid was even carrying linens in the middle of the lobby, seemingly unconcerned that the sight was completely unprofessional.

A pair of teens were behind the counter answering phones, other clerks hurriedly taking reservations or complaints, it was unclear which the case was. Since no one that was present had noticed them or was ignoring them, the group took the chance to take in the opulence of their surroundings. The hotel was done in the same tasteful yet blatant show of superiority and wealth as Sesshoumaru's plane had been, the only difference being that a light blue had replaced the beige. There was nothing gaudy about the décor but it was definitely not for someone that wanted their vacation spot to feel like home.

Behind the front desk hung a tapestry that started only centimeters from the ceiling and didn't stop until it reached the heads of the clerks. It was almost as wide as it was tall and the rich colors appeared only slightly muted next to the newness of the hotel. The subject of the wall hanging was a giant dog, it's jaws opened wide on a growl and its claws descending on armies of soldiers attacking villagers. The dog had two tails, and it was obvious that it was meant to be a demon.

"It's huge," Rukia gasped softly, tilting her head back as far as she could. The ceiling must have been at least fifteen meters above them, giving a sense of openness and elegance to the place.

"The hanging, or the dog?"

"This whole place. It's like a castle that rents out rooms."

"Amusing," a voice from behind them said. "My grandson said the same thing when he saw the plans."

As one the teens turned to face the speaker, the urge to call forth any weapon at their disposal almost overwhelming. "Who are you?" Ichigo demanded.

"Can you not tell?" the woman asked and twirled to show off her expensive kimono. The layers were far more than they were used to seeing and it made them hot just to look at her. How she could wear that many and not sweat was beyond them.

"I take it you're the proprietress of this establishment," Ishida commented, pushing his glasses up with one finger.

"Indeed. Let me introduce myself. I am Hisana Taisho." She gave them a flourishing curtsey, her golden eyes glinting with amusement. "Welcome to my humble hotel. I do hope you'll enjoy your stay."

"Uh…huh," Ichigo muttered, unconvinced. He was going to enjoy his time here about as much as a trip to the dentist.

"You sound unconvinced. Allow me to show you around personally. You are after all the ones that won the grand prize from that magazine. I was so excited when they told me so many had entered." Looking behind them, she called for two of the people behind the counter. "Shu, Fumiko, come here. Our special guests have finally arrived."

"Coming, Grandmother!" A clatter ensued as the two children climbed over the desk instead of going around. They scattered papers onto the floor without looking concerned, causing the real clerks to yell in protest.

"They're dear children, really they are," Hisana murmured, and it sounded like a mantra she'd been using to try to convince herself. "Make your bows," she ordered when they got to the group of teens. "You will be their official guides. Start by carrying their bags to the suite. I've set aside one of the presidential suites for you to use. There are plenty of beds for you to choose from so I hope you'll feel at home."

"Grandmother, why don't aren't the servants doing this?" the boy complained, a bang falling over one eye.

"They are busy. It seems _someone_ took down a grove of palm trees when they tried practicing their _katas_. A great deal of them are replanting or replacing them. Others are cleaning up the main laundry room as another _someone_ put in too much detergent and made a number of the washing machines explode."

Ichigo kept his laughter to himself, seeing that both of the younger demons were embarrassed. Rukia coughed into her fist beside him and the others looked hard pressed not to show their amusement. The accidents earlier in the day explained why a hotel looked like the Gotei Thirteen during one of his impromptu visits.

"I do hope no one was hurt," Rukia replied, her training as a noble coming in handy.

"Sadly, several trees are beyond hope, along with their coconuts. We'll be using the ones that didn't get entirely decimated for dessert. Thankfully, the two miscreants were not harmed in the incidents although what will happen to them when they return home is anyone's guess. I have been told to use them as I see fit so I can only assume something of a similar nature has happened there." A stern eye was leveled on the siblings.

"It was an accident," Shu complained as he opened the door to the suite. "Nii-san was just showing me one of his tricks."

"Tricks?" Rukia inquired.

"Yes, he's a master illusionist," Fumiko grinned, her fangs glistening in the light that came through the window.

"I thought you belonged to Sesshoumaru," Ichigo said, a nasty suspicion entering his mind.

"Nope. Uncle's only child died a long, long time ago. He adopted her and as she was human, was only with him for a little while. My old man is Inuyasha." Shu dropped his concealment charm although it wasn't necessary. The teens had known he was a demon from the beginning.

"Great, another Shippou," the daiko growled.

"Make that two," Hisana sighed, sitting in one of the lush chairs near the unlit fireplace. "Are you regretting your decision to come? Despite their names, there is nothing disciplined or scholarly about them."

"We hadn't noticed," Tatsuki said dryly, watching in disbelief as the male half of the duo sat down and turned on the television, flipping through the channels as if he had every right to invade their space.

"Shu!" his sister hissed, dragging her brother up by the arm. "We've got serious matters to discuss."

"Indeed," Hisana intoned, sounding a lot like her son. "Now listen well. From here on out assume that there is no safe place to discuss the true nature of your visit but here in your suite. Most of the demons that are currently on the island either have very excellent hearing, vision, or both. This suite was designed for such uses and has been fortified so that no sound can be heard outside of these walls. If you pull the curtains and activate the special screen, no one will be able to see in either."

"It comes in really handy for other things too," Shu added, a meaningful glint in his eye embarrassing all but two of the group.

"Forgive him," Fumiko said. "He grew up around several perverts and hasn't had it beaten out of him yet." She was too used to her brother's antics to get upset over his comments.

Hisana opened her mouth to scold her grandson but noticed that Ichigo and the others had reached their limit. "Enough. Make yourselves comfortable and order anything you desire from room service. I will come back, alone, after dinner to continue." Rising regally from her chair, she pulled on one child while pushing the other.

Once they were out the door, the lady looked back at the selection of adolescents her son had sent to her. "There is no need to be alarmed, pups," she said quietly. "We're only half as crazy as we seem." With that she left, closing the door tightly behind her.

Ishida was the first to recover, taking his glasses off to wipe them thoroughly. Orihime sank onto the nearest chair, blinking to refocus. Tatsuki didn't even bother with furniture and simply sat on the floor, her bag behind her back for support. Chad quietly took his luggage to one of the bedrooms, shutting the door so that he could be alone. Mizuiro and Keigo were too busy looking over the large menu to think too much about what they'd just witnessed and the Shinigami partners were hoping Hollows would show up so that they could hit something.

"Ichigo," Ishida tried calmly. It was taking everything he had to stay composed.

"Hmm?" the daiko muttered, wondering if he could move fast enough to escape the Quincy's wrath.

"You have landed us in the demonic version of _Bedlam_."

"Really? I was thinking it was more like the Eleventh."

"Same difference," Ishida growled.

For once Ichigo didn't argue.

* * *

><p><em>AN: __**Hisana**__ is the name I used for Sesshoumaru's mother in the "__**HK**__" series and I used it here again because I couldn't think of anything more fitting. The two children of Inuyasha's that appeared here (__**Shu**__ which means discipline, and __**Fumiko**__ which means literary or scholarly child) are OC's that I made for the benefit of hilarity. __**Chise**__ (little star or torrent of wisdom) is another OC because I decided not to let Sesshoumaru wallow in his bachelorhood. _


	12. We Have a Plan This Time

_A/N: Almost a dozen to thank for reviews: __**Hidden Masked**__, __**ella811**__, __**Dark Inu Fan**__, __**Nocturna Mae**__, __**Carrie96235**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**Grimelark**__, __**BiblioMatsuri**__, __**wolfhead**__, __**KitElizaKing**__, and __**dragonlord1337**__. And thank you to everyone who add this or I too their lists. Contrary to popular belief, I have not abandoned my stories. I just needed to step away for a while. Getting back into things took longer than I thought but once you see this; my other stories should have been updated as well._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_We Have a Plan This Time_

Ichigo lifted the suitcase onto the bed and opened it, intent on getting Rukia's belongings out of it so that she could shower. The group had decided to settle in and rest for a while after Hisana had left, figuring that they were simply tired and that's why the chaos they'd run into had been too much for them to handle. Tatsuki had immediately grabbed Inoue's hand and staked claim on one of the rooms while Ishida had announced that he was rooming with Chad. That had left the third bedroom to the two Shinigami (there was no way Ichigo was letting Rukia room with either Keigo or Mizuiro who'd been left with the fourth and final bedroom) and both had shrugged, believing that there would be two beds. It had been a while since they'd shared space at night but it was really no different than when Rukia had secretly stayed in his closet so neither had thought much about the arrangement.

Until they'd gone to put their things away and found one bed instead of two. Granted the single resting place seemed to be larger than Ichigo's entire room but it had still thrown them for a loop. They'd stared in dumbfounded silence at the sight for several minutes before either managed a coherent thought. Embarrassment had quickly followed and the partners had instantly realized the potential dangers of the situation.

Said dangers being a thousand tiny blades after Ichigo's hide if Byakuya were to learn of the single bed that looked like it was meant for nighttime fun and games. Luckily there had been a bolster all across the top of the bed and the daiko had latched onto it like it was a lifesaver. He'd divided the bed in half with the giant pillow, leaving more than enough room on either side for both of them. It wasn't the best situation but it would have to do for the moment.

"Ichigo, have you found my clothes yet?" Rukia yelled through the door of the bathroom.

"You want the pink top and the black shorts you borrowed from Karin, right?" he shouted back, piling the two pieces of clothing on top of her carry on.

"Yes. Can you hand them to me? I've already taken a shower." The door to the other room opened slightly and a small hand was thrust through the gap. Ichigo reluctantly brought her the clothes, pulling the door shut the moment she had them through the slight space. He was thankful that at least she had brought her underwear in with her. A few moments later she came out, her hair still a little damp.

Rukia only spared him a glance before she sat down and began brushing her hair. The small vanity table in one corner was quickly littered with her personal belongings and Ichigo knew she'd claimed that as her personal space. "Ichigo," she said quietly, putting her brush down and turning to him.

"Hmm?" he murmured, rolling over to look at her with one eye. The other was still closed in a vain attempt to stay half asleep.

"We need a plan this time," she declared, coming to lie on the other side of the bolster. Still warm from her shower, she felt sleep tugging at her.

"Sure, but later, okay? I'm tired too." He vaguely remembered setting the clock for the ungodly hour of three thirty and Kon hadn't made what little sleep he'd gotten easy. He'd complained for nearly an hour about being left behind. They'd left their soul pills home knowing that in this instance having modified or temporary souls taking over their bodies probably wasn't a good idea. Chappy and Kon emitted their own spiritual energies and anyone with half a brain and the ability to sense otherworldly occurrences would know instantly that something was rotten in Denmark.

"Deal," Rukia whispered, allowing sleep to finally take her. Ichigo's spiritual energy wrapped around her like a blanket, keeping her warm so that she wouldn't get chilled in the lightly air conditioned room. The daiko tugged on her bangs once, slipping the still uncooperative lock of hair through his fingers, the repetitive motion lulling him back to slumber as well. The two Shinigami slept peacefully, both content with simply being in each other's company.

Right up until their friends found them two hours later.

* * *

><p>Ishida and Tatsuki entered their friends' room when a grumbled reply by their orange haired "leader" gave them permission to enter. At least they thought it was permission. It could have just as easily been "Leave me alone" as "Yes." Upon opening the door they were surprised to find the partners on the same bed sound asleep. That neither stirred when two other spiritual presences came near said a lot about the amount of trust they had in their friends.<p>

"I guess he meant to tell us to go away," Tatsuki mused. One of Ichigo's arms was stretched out protectively towards Rukia, the other underneath his head in place of a pillow. "We should probably wake them."

"My thoughts exactly." The Quincy pulled out a Seele Schneider, and held it up for the other teen's inspection. His grin in the eerie blue light made him seem briefly demonic and Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

"You're not going to do what I think you are, are you?"

Ishida straightened his lips quickly and pushed up his frames. "I don't know what you mean," he said, moving over to stand so that he was facing Ichigo's back.

"Sure, you don't." Digging out her cell, the dark haired girl scrolled through the features until she got to the video option. It wouldn't be high definition by any means but everyone would be able to tell who it was and what was happening. "Go on and wake the idiot up."

The moment the sharp point of the arrow sword touched the daiko's rear he bolted up fully awake although unaware of the reason why. "Tatsuki!" he roared, forgetting that the small Shinigami next to him was still asleep.

"Don't look at me," his childhood friend said; laughter in her voice. The video still rolled, capturing the varied expressions that crossed Ichigo's face. The Shinigami extraordinaire finally settled for extreme annoyance before flopping back down onto the bed.

Ishida continued to smirk, his arrow blade once more tucked away. He doubted whether his orange haired friend even knew that it was actually him who'd done the prodding. "We thought you might want to wake before Kuchiki-san," he stated calmly, as if he'd had no part in what was going on.

"Huh?" Ichigo uttered, turning around to gaze stupidly at the small woman on the other side of the large bed. "Shit…" By some divine grace, Rukia was still asleep, apparently none the wiser about what had just gone on. Sighing in relief, Ichigo was about to herd the others out of the room before she stirred when he noticed something that could spell his early entry into the Soul Society. The bolster, which had separated the two Shinigami, was now on the floor, obviously having been thrown there. Who had done it was unclear but the orange haired daiko had a sneaking suspicion that it had been him during one of his odd dreams.

"I wonder if I can just put it back without her noticing…" he murmured, having temporarily forgotten the presence of his friends.

Ishida shot a quick look over Ichigo's shoulder at the discarded pillow before a slight fluctuation in spirit energy caught his attention. Studying the small death goddess, he caught a glimpse of violet. "I take it that was meant to maintain propriety."

"Yeah…"

Tatsuki stopped recording and took a step back from the bed. "You could have used the floor," she pointed out, ready to make a dash to safety. Having seen Rukia's real personality, it wasn't any surprise to her what was going to happen to her old friend when the other raven haired girl found out what had happened. And she would. Rukia's fingers had twitched slightly, obviously aching to do bodily damage to her partner.

"Didn't feel like it," Ichigo said irritably, moving around to pick up the cumbersome pillow. He wasn't going to admit that the idea hadn't even occurred to him.

"I see. Well, perhaps we should leave you to your stealth mission," the Quincy suggested, edging towards the now open portal. The martial artist had already made her escape.

"I'll be out in a minute. We should probably order something to eat and then think of a plan."

"Excellent suggestion," his friendly rival said and left just before Rukia got tired of suppressing her spiritual energy. And her anger.

* * *

><p>The rest of their friends looked up in mild astonishment when Ichigo yelped and pleaded for mercy not two seconds after Ishida came back into the common area. With a shrug they went back to perusing the menus spread out before them, a running list in front of Chad. "Should we rescue him?" Orihime asked, scrunching her nose at a foreign word she didn't recognize.<p>

"I do not think the entire Gotei could rescue him at this point, Hime," Tatsuki answered, voting for copious amounts of junk food with Keigo.

"And miss the sorry state he'll be in shortly?" Ishida asked.

"I hate it when our friends fight," she returned.

"I'm sure you have nothing to be concerned about, Inoue-san," he tried to soothe. "Ichigo just did something in his sleep like the time he gripped Yoruichi-san's tail."

"Oh. Well, I guess everything will be fine then once he apologizes."

"Certainly." The archer didn't have the heart to tell her Ichigo wouldn't get the opportunity to do so.

* * *

><p>Rukia had Ichigo on his stomach; arms secured behind him with the bakudo that she seemed to favor. While he could easily have broken out of the spell, her small body sitting on his legs prevented him from standing. She was currently twisting his ear with one hand, an elbow from the opposite side digging painfully into his kidneys.<p>

"Damn it, Rukia, I already apologized!"

"Hn, like I'll believe some lame excuse like that! 'I must have been dreaming, Rukia' you say. Just what were you dreaming about, Ichigo? Molesting my person? Whatever would your father say about you harming his dear third daughter?"

"Oh, come off it, we both know what he would say. He alluded to as much when we told him we were coming here. Besides, it's not him we have to worry about. It's your darling 'Nii-sama.' He has a friend in this world now, you know. If anything of what happens gets to Taisho-san he'll gladly fork it over to Byakuya."

"Exactly. Nii-sama will think you've taken my innocence." Rukia let the pressure off of his back for a moment.

"Okay, okay, enough. I was telling the truth, though. I do have weird dreams sometimes, just ask the others. I once grabbed a hold of Yoruichi-san's tail. It ended up looking like one of those weird bended straws." He could feel the disbelieving stare on the back of his head. "I also shouted something incomprehensible as I woke up, disturbing Ganju from learning the kido spell he needed to use to drive that thing into the Seireitei."

Rukia tried to stop the giggle that came bubbling up her throat from coming out but wasn't quite successful. "You're such an idiot." Sighing, she let him go, getting up to straighten the wrinkles out of her clothes. "I'm going to see what the others are ordering for dinner. If you break the spell in time, I'll make sure to save you some."

"Hey! You can't just leave me here!" Rolling onto his back, he stared at her as she paused in the doorway.

"Please, a powerful Shinigami like you should have no trouble breaking that little thing. You did it the first night we met, don't forget. Besides, if you can cast it without saying anything but its name, there's no way you'd be stuck for long, now is there?" With that she joined their friends, ignoring his cursing as he tried to figure out how to release his arms.

"Insane midget!" he yelled and flopped back onto his back in defeat.

This was going to take a while.

* * *

><p>Tatsuki snickered at Ichigo's less than witty parting shot, knowing that he had lost the war. Rukia was perusing the menu, amused mischief in her eyes as she contemplated her choices. "This seafood platter sounds interesting. I think I'll have that."<p>

"Shouldn't we order for Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked, pouring herself something to drink from the small refrigerator in the kitchenette.

"I suppose. It's going to take a while for him to remember how he got out of that the first time. Is there any curry on the menu?"

"Afraid not, Kuchiki-san," Chad answered. He picked the several paged booklet of food offerings up and began looking over it again for something he thought his friend might like. "Ah, this might do," he murmured, adding it to the list of final choices without saying what it was. Going over to the phone, he dialed the kitchen and put in their order.

"Kuchiki-san, perhaps having him expend the energy necessary to release himself is not a good idea. From what the other demons have told us, our abilities are supposed to be a secret for the moment. Since he has trouble controlling his power…" Ishida let the rest of the sentence, hang, knowing she'd come to the correct conclusion.

"You have to spoil all my fun, don't you?" Delicate lips scowled briefly before she concentrated on letting her partner go.

"Hardly, Kuchiki-san. After this is all over, if you wish to go ahead and tie him up for his idiocy, I may ask to help you."

Thank you, Ishida-kun. You're always a gentleman."

"Isn't he?" Orihime asked. He's always offering to help me."

Pink dusted the bridge of his nose and the archer found the other females slightly amused while the guys openly grinned at him. Ishida even noticed the slight chuckle Chad gave before the larger teen coughed to try to cover it up. Ichigo was just coming into the living area and hadn't heard the conversation. For that much the Quincy was glad. Who knew what kind of ribbing he would have gotten otherwise.

"Tell me you haven't ordered yet," the orange haired teen said, rubbing his arms. He knew Rukia had released the spell, having come to the same conclusion Ishida had during his momentary study of the bedroom ceiling.

"Just now," Keigo answered, taking a large gulp of soda. "Don't worry, Chad ordered for you."

"Thanks, man," Ichigo said to his friend, earning a slight nod in reply. "So, should we discuss strategy now or after dinner?"

"Can't it wait? I'd rather have a full stomach before we talk about how you're going to use Mizuiro and me as bait."

"We're not going to use you as bait," Ichigo denied, although the thought did have merit. At the very least they could serve as distractions.

Before Keigo could protest further, a soft bell was heard, indicating someone was at the suite door. Mizuiro was closet and went to answer it, a slight frown on his face. There hadn't been enough time for the food to be cooked, much less brought up. Looking through the peep hole, he sighed heavily before opening the portal.

"Who is it?" Ichigo inquired, his answer coming in the form of a tall, elegant lady.

"I'm so glad that you're rested," Hisana stated, coming to stand by Chad's chair. The large teen got up, earning a smile from the Taisho matriarch.

"We've just ordered dinner, Lady Taisho," Rukia informed, coming to stand next to where Ichigo had plopped his large frame. "I thought you were going to come after dinner."

"I was but when I was informed that you'd asked for food and as the pups were eating their meal, I thought now was the better time as I could inform you of the plan then leave you to eat in peace. Those two can be a handful and I know that you will want a good night's rest."

"Yes…"

"There's a plan?" Tatsuki asked, wondering if the lady demon was going to go off into "crazy mode" or if she'd stay in her right mind long enough to tell them what the "plan" was.

"Of course, my son never leaves things to chance. It's quite splendid, if I do say so although don't tell him that. He has a big enough ego as it is."

"All right."

"Now then, the beginning is quite simple. You will start by going out to the beach and spending some time there. The three pairs will eventually spit off from the group and do whatever it is that courting human adolescents do with no parental supervision. The two of you," she said, pointing to Keigo and Mizuiro," "Will pretend to pick up women. Pretend, mind you, because if you actually managed to do so, I'm not sure the fathers around here would let you live very long otherwise."

"Can I at least collect numbers?" Keigo asked, pouting. He'd so hoped to get a girlfriend out of this vacation.

"Certainly, it'll add to the legitimacy of your cover. I'm not sure how easy that's going to be but go for it." Hisana paused for a breath, only then noticing the acute embarrassment of the other six teens. For his part, the dark haired playboy seemed content with his role. "Is there a problem?"

"Eh…" the martial artist started, unsure of what to say. "We're not dating, ma'am."

"Whatever do you mean? I distinctly remember being told that there were three couples and two guys that liked to pick up women."

"Arisawa-san's correct, Lady Taisho," Ishida seconded. "We are nothing but a group of friends."

"Is that so?" the demoness murmured, using her sensitive nose to detect any subterfuge. Her eyes narrowed on Ichigo and Rukia, making the two of them blush under her scrutiny. "So the fact that their scents mingle is simply coincidence."

"I believe that is because they were fighting not too long ago," he returned logically. "Kuchiki-san also lives with the Kurosakis' during her assignment here in the Living World."

"Ah, that would explain the third scent I'm picking up. Kurosaki-kun has a younger sister."

"Two, actually. I occasionally borrow their clothes," Rukia admitted.

"Occasionally? You use their clothes on a regular basis. Dad's offered to buy you your own wardrobe but no, you'd prefer theirs."

"They have good fashion sense and why should I let your dad spend money when he doesn't have to?"

"I don't know, maybe because they're too young for you? You look like you're sixteen years old. My sisters are still in elementary."

"Some of them are too young. I don't wear those. And I do have clothes of my own now. This shirt is mine. Inoue-san even helped me buy it."

"That's Yuzu's shirt that she bought last week that looks identical to the one Inoue helped you buy. With my money. See the hem? It came unraveled when she washed it for the first time and I had to listen to Yuzu complain that she didn't have the right color thread."

Rukia looked down at the spot that had the slightly different shade of thread. "Huh, didn't even notice."

Hisana chuckled, bringing their attention back to her. "Well, no matter. You two act like a couple and that's all that matters. You four though… That may be a problem."

"I'm sure we can manage something, Lady Taisho," Ishida assured, trying to get the discussion back to where it was supposed to be rather than on the two Shinigami. The demon lady's words had upset the Rikka wielder and he didn't like that. He wanted to be mad at Ichigo and Rukia but the sad truth was that they didn't know how intimate their relationship seemed to other people.

"Well, I guess you could just pal around together, leaving these two alone. It's best not to try to fool anyone. Sharp noses can smell lies and other such falsehoods." She heard the almost silent sighs of relief from the other teenagers and almost laughed out loud. They weren't fooling anyone. The auburn haired girl had a mad crush that probably bordered on love for the orange haired leader while the dark haired archer had genuine feelings for the girl. It would be a simple matter to get the two alone together. If she pushed the auburn haired girl at the archer, the two teens already close could be maneuvered into getting even closer.

A chance to make mischief scented, Hisana almost lost track of her true purpose. The doorbell rang again and she paused, waiting until the food was brought in and placed on the dining room table in the alcove next to the kitchenette. She waved the server away when it was clear he was going to wait for a tip and stood up to pace to the set of windows facing westward.

Several stomachs growled and she turned briefly to smile at them. "Go ahead and start. I'll hurry my explanation."

"Thank the gods," Keigo breathed, beginning to eat his hamburger quickly.

"Yes, well. That's the first part. The second part is to keep your eyes and ears open. Except for a few, the demons around here are unaware of your special abilities. They won't know to be cautious around you. If they're seen by you going or coming to some place you don't think they should be, let me or the pups know immediately. I haven't been able to pinpoint their hideout on this island and my trackers only got here yesterday. Once their meeting place is determined, it'll be your job to apprehend them."

"And does your esteemed son have any preference as to how he wants that done?" Ichigo asked, handing a napkin to Orihime and getting a soft 'thanks' in reply. He didn't even notice.

"Well, he would prefer that they were alive when you do so, leaving him the honor of disposing of the traitorous bastards but if you must kill them, then that's fine."

"I see."

"And for those of us that don't have actual powers?" Tatsuki asked, passing a glass of water over to Rukia. Two other glasses sat in front of her waiting to be filled.

"While the fighters are subduing the traitors, I want you three to look for any physical evidence of what they've been planning. Gather as much as you can and bring it here. By the time the actual battle starts, help will have arrived so you needn't worry for your safety."

"Rather simplistic in its execution," Ishida said after taking a bite of his sushi. "I like it."

"Yes, well, my son and his brother like things simple. It makes up for their father's complex way of raising them hundreds of years ago." After a brief moment of reflection, Hisana moved to the door. "That is all, dears. I'll let you eat in peace now. If there's anything you need, please let us know."

"Wait, there is one thing," Rukia brought up. "Ichigo and I noticed that there's only one bed in the master bedroom. Can't there be a cot or smaller bed added, please? I'd rather my brother not find out that the room we shared didn't allow for propriety to be maintained."

Hisana frowned. "What do you mean? Did you not see the other one?"

"What other one?"

Well, it's in the other room attached to the main sleeping quarters. The door is right by the vanity table."

"Oh, I thought it was a closet," Rukia replied, unsure of what else to say.

"Well, it is to an extent but it also has another name. It's not so affectionately known by the males of my clan as the 'dog house.'" It took a moment for what she meant to sink in, but when it did, laughter broke out around the table.

"I see, thank you."

"My pleasure. Enjoy your dinner." She left several amused teens and a couple of embarrassed ones to the ribbing of their friends. Satisfied that she'd done all she could for the moment, she went to hunt down her own meal. Glancing at the clock in the elevator, she sighed briefly. "I suppose I should call Sesshoumaru and give him a progress report. He'll want to know if his niece and nephew managed to make it through the day without blowing anything up." On the other hand, she could sit in her office and plot ways of getting teenagers to admit their feelings for each other. Playing matchmaker was ever so much more fun than playing spy. "No, better call my son." With her luck he'd wake her up in the middle of the night just to get an update. He'd never understood the concept that some demons actually _liked_ to sleep.

She couldn't wait until he had pups of his own. Then they'd see how much he woke others up at all hours of the day and night. She'd never let him live it down. In the mean time though—

"Grandmother!" Inuyasha's youngest son was coming towards her with a strange blue substance staining his shirt.

She'd deal with the current disaster coming at her on two legs.


	13. We're Not Detectives

_A/N: A handful to thanks for reviews: __**Mondtanz**__, __**Rukia's Reflection**__, __**KitElizaKing**__, __**BiblioMatsuri**__, and __**Carrie96235**__. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. Why did no one tell me that it's been nearly a _year_?_

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha or Bleach characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

_Secrets Abound_

_We're Not Detectives_

Blinding light woke Ichigo the next morning. Rolling over, he tried to get away from the bright sunshine. When that didn't work, he tried covering his head with the extremely downy pillow the luxurious hotel favored and rolled the other way.

Only to promptly end up on the floor.

Cursing, he hauled himself to his feet and sat on the edge of the cot. Rubbing a hand through tousled hair, he gazed around the room with blurry eyes. The walk-in closet was about the size of his room and he had to admit that the small window was a nice touch. Even if it did face east so that the rising sun would hit the occupant of the cot square in the face.

Part and parcel of being in the "dog house" no doubt.

The cot was over six feet long thankfully and wider than the average makeshift bed. Perhaps the women of the Taisho clan had had a momentary surge of sympathy and let the designers install the extra large sleeping area. Or perhaps the men had snuck it in when their wives weren't looking.

Whatever the case was, Ichigo was just glad that he'd gotten to sleep in a halfway decent place. He'd had visions of camping out on the couch earlier last evening before Hisana had told them about the extra sleeping quarters.

"Ichigo, are you awake?" Rukia asked before barging into the room without knocking.

"No, I just fell out of bed and kept sleeping. Yes, I'm awake. Sort of…" he added on a yawn.

"You don't have to be snippy. Arisawa-san is ordering breakfast." Rukia studied her partner for a few moments before touching his shoulder. Feeling the tight muscles, she frowned. "Your muscles are knotted. That cot isn't good for you."

"It's nothing a hot shower won't cure. Still, it's better than most cots. It's wide enough and long enough, so don't worry."

"But you fell out of it."

"That's because the sun hit me in the eyes and I tried to get away from it. I guess part of the torture is to get hit square in the face with the sun in the morning."

"Ah, I understand." Rukia turned to leave, the tall teen following her out of the room.

"How did you sleep?"

"The bed was comfortable enough but it's too big for me. I'm used to sleeping on a single futon."

"If it makes you feel better, I don't think that's made for one person. It looks like an entire family could fit on there with room to spare."

"Either that, or a really big demon," Rukia mused offhandedly.

"Considering the tapestry of the large dog demon in the foyer, I'd say that was a definite possibility too." Ichigo scratched the back of his head before moving to the drawer he'd put his clothes in. "I'm going to hit the shower and then I'll be out for breakfast."

Rukia nodded before leaving the bedroom. She felt a bit guilty for making him sleep in an uncomfortable bed when they were in unfamiliar territory but propriety had to be maintained and she had a feeling that any indiscretion on her part would be reported to her brother if the demon lord found out. They seemed to have become friends of a sort so she had little doubt the closeness she and Ichigo shared would be monitored with a critical eye.

"Did you wake the goof up?" Tatsuki asked, setting the table with napkins and actual silverware and chopsticks depending on the person's preference. Glasses filled with juice and cups of tea or coffee were already laid out, enticing sleepy high school students to the table.

"Didn't have to. Turns out he woke up by himself by falling out of bed."

"Idiot," the other girl muttered with a snicker. Done with her preparations, the martial artist went back into the room she shared with Orihime to bring the healer out.

Ishida, having heard the conversation sat in the chair closest to the door, wide awake despite the fact that his other classmates appeared to be on instant vacation mode. Chad followed, slightly sleepy but still awake enough to exchange his usual monosyllabic morning greeting. "Kurosaki's late to the party as usual, I see," the archer said, his insult lacking its normal bite. Apparently he wasn't as awake as he wanted others to think.

"Considering the fact that Isshin usually wakes him up with some sort of physical abuse, he was probably enjoying the peace," Rukia mused. "It was so quiet, for a moment _I_ thought something was wrong until I remembered where we were."

"This is true," Ishida allowed, having experienced the Kurosaki patriarch's personality quirks. Having found out that Isshin had been a Shinigami, it was little wonder that insanity ruled the Kurosaki household. He'd noticed that at times the only sane person that appeared to live there was the one that didn't have the power to see and talk to spirits.

Keigo and Mizuiro finally made an appearance, their attempt to sleep in clearly thwarted by the noise that their classmates were making. A soft bell let them know breakfast had arrived and the group of teens readily gave up any notion of sleeping in for the chance to eat the delicious offerings that they'd been given. Last night's dinner had been consumed as only hungry teenagers could and the same thing would happen to this meal as soon as everyone sat down.

Ichigo was the last to join the group, orange hair still wet from his shower. He sat down in the only empty seat available, grimacing when Keigo began to talk his ear off and Chad didn't utter so much as a murmur to save him from having to answer the class clown's questions. "So, do you guys have any ideas about how we're supposed to go about being seemingly oblivious teenagers?" The daiko finally got a word in edgewise, mainly by putting his friend in a headlock and choking him into silence.

"Although I'm sure some of us won't have a problem with that, I suppose the only thing to do is pretend we don't see, sense, or hear anything that would be considered unusual." Ishida took a small bite of the croissant that he'd buttered. "On second thought, the strangest things here are probably us. It's probably a good thing that Lady Hisana seems to have a few screws loose or it would definitely be suspicious that a group of humans won the contest instead of demons."

"A few screws and some lost marbles," Tatsuki put in, looking at the spread that was before them. It wasn't what she had ordered and figured that the demoness had had a hand in changing what was brought up. The others didn't seem to mind as they were in the process of devouring the majority of it.

"They don't expect us to be anything but normal teenagers on a once in a lifetime vacation. So we act like they expect us to," Rukia said, looking pointedly at her partner. "We pretend that we don't notice when their powers fluctuate and that we don't have any spiritual awareness or powers ourselves. Eventually they'll relax around us and those that the Taisho brothers want taken into custody will continue their nefarious dealings none the wiser."

"But we're not detectives, Kuchiki-san," Orihime protested. "How are we going to know when they're back to their bad deeds?"

"Trust your instincts, Inoue-san. If they don't seem like good people, chances are that they aren't. They'll have an aura around them that shows their true intentions. And I doubt that they can hide that like Aizen could."

The healer looked at her friend and nodded. "You'll need to be careful, Tatsuki-chan."

"Aizen may have been able to bring me to my knees but I'm not about to let some traitorous demon do the same."

"You shouldn't stray too far from someone who has powers, though," Ishida said after a moment. "We can use Kojima and Asano as distractions because all they want to do is pick up girls. I doubt any demon will see them as a threat. They'll probably see them as nothing more than nuisances at best."

"All right, so why don't Mizuiro and Keigo go to the beach first? It'll make it seem like the rest of us were held up because we were waiting for the girls." Ichigo shoved the rest of his breakfast down and stood. "Rukia, go change into your bathing suit and have either Inoue or Tatsuki help you with the sunscreen. The longer we take to join the other two, the more relaxed we'll seem." Ichigo paused in leaving the table, Rukia's lack of response surprising him a bit. Normally she would have berated him for daring to order her around. "Rukia?"

"It's nothing. Inoue-san, would you mind helping me with the sunscreen? Nii-sama would be most displeased if I burned."

"Of course! Why don't you bring your suit into our room? Didn't you tell me that you got a new one? Tatsuki did too…" The ginger haired young woman pulled her friends along, completely ignoring the martial artist's complaints.

The boys blinked, wondering how the topic changed so suddenly. Trust Orihime to diffuse the tension and take things in a totally new direction. "And on that note… Have fun down there, Mizuiro, Keigo." Ichigo went back to his room to apply his own sunscreen, having a healthy respect for the damage the sun could do.

"Sure, Ichigo." Mizuiro tucked his phone away for a moment, intent on gathering his things.

"I'll get some drinks. Meet you in the lobby, Mizuiro." Keigo turned to raid the fridge, silently wondering if he could pull off the undercover work. While he didn't mind trying to pick up girls and enjoy the beach, he wasn't sure he could pretend not to notice the strangeness that was sure to accompany the gathering of demons they were likely to encounter. His experience with Shinigami and Hollows bothered him enough, there was no telling how he'd react to any powers the other creatures had.

Mizuiro for his part didn't seem to mind playing decoy for it gave him a chance to get new girlfriends. The dark haired boy even appeared to be anticipating the challenge. Ishida had explained to him at some point the night before that the woman he'd been interested in when they'd arrived had been a demon so now the pick up artist had equated demons with beautiful women. Keigo didn't quite understand how his friend had come to that conclusion but on the other hand, if his sister was anything to go by, it wasn't far from the truth…

"Keigo," Chad started, jerking his friend from his thoughts.

"We'll be fine, Chad buddy," the brunet said, recognizing the tone in the giant's voice. "We know what to look for this time."

"Just the same," Ishida said, coming out of the room he shared with the larger teen. Loading a bag with necessities, he took one of the bottles of water Keigo offered with a nod of thanks.

"We won't go wandering off. Or at least I won't. Mizuiro might have to be rescued if he gets too interested in another man's wife though."

"Is Kojima-kun really that bad?" Orihime asked when she returned, tilting her head at her male friends. She hadn't had a lot of interaction with Mizuiro until after she became friends with Ichigo.

"He tried to hit on Rukia the first time he was introduced to her," Ichigo said, rejoining the group. "He has a thing for older women so it's good that he didn't know that she's over a century old at the time." Of course, when he _had_ found out, it had intrigued him for as long as it took for Ichigo to find out of his renewed interest and make it clear to his friend what would happen if he continued his pursuit. The threat of a thousand sharp blades coming after him had made him lose interest quick.

"You are far too over protective, Ichigo. I could have handled his advances myself."

"Yeah, but if you had, I might have one less friend," he shot back, his eyes widening at the bikini she was sporting. "What the… Rukia!"

"You're so innocent," she teased, his cheeks reddening even more than they had at the sight of her.

"What happened to your other one?"

"I borrowed that from Yuzu. This is mine."

"I think she looks nice in it," Keigo said and shrunk under the glare he got. Ishida gave him a gentle push towards the door and he left without making another comment.

"I agree with Asano-kun," Orihime piped up, her own figured displayed to advantage in her two piece. Tatsuki was in a sporting single piece, no doubt worn in case she had to protect her friend's chastity.

"Thank you, Inoue-san. If you're done being an idiot for the moment, Ichigo, let's get going. The faster we put ourselves under their scrutiny, the faster we can get this whole thing over with."

"Ah, yeah, I guess." Still discomforted at the sight of his partner in such a skimpy bathing suit, Ichigo slung one of the beach bags over his shoulder and headed out the door.

"You're so juvenile, Kurosaki," Ishida said, trying to sound unaffected by the whole thing. The truth was that Inoue's suit had affected him more this time than the last time he'd seen it on her.

"Says the idiot who's blushing over Inoue."

Chad kept his own council, glad that none of their female friends was making him act as stupidly as the two in front of him. They bickered back and forth, either unwilling or unable to come to a truce. He had thought that by now they would have realized how similar they were and let bygones be bygones.

It was almost like they were related.

* * *

><p>Lady Hisana watched the group of human children walk down to the beach, some talking amongst themselves while others argued. The two foolish ones had come out earlier and were already trying to pick up girls with a black eye to one as a result. "Grandmother, what's so interesting?" her granddaughter asked, looking up from the mound of paperwork the elder dog demon was making her do.<p>

"The human pups. They really are a strange group."

"Yeah, and it's probably a good thing that they're not trying to fool anyone by acting. The one in the glasses has a thing for the big busted one and every demon in a hundred meters can probably smell it."

"Don't be so vulgar, Shu," Fumiko said. "Let them be normal kids for once. I'm sure they'll hear or see something that we haven't been able to. If our allies ignore their existence and we pretend to be nothing more than gracious hosts to winners of a contest, everything should work out just fine."

"Should and will are two different things," the elder female said and couldn't help but sigh. "For some reason I have a feeling that it's not going to be so simple."

"You shouldn't worry so, Grandmother," Shu said, leaning against the window sill and following her gaze. A strand of once white hair fell into his eyes and he blew it back. Last night after returning to he scene of his most recent debacle, the mysterious blue substance had expanded in its evasiveness and ended up dying his hair in one last explosion. His parents had laughingly told him that it had served him right and he'd have to go back to school like that until it either washed out or faded. "You can always do what you're best at in the meantime," he added, trying to cheer his grandmother up.

"And what is that?" Hisana asked warily.

"Well, other than bedeviling Uncle and Father, you're really good at match making."

"This is true…" she murmured and narrowed her gold eyes in concentration. Now which pair of human teenagers did she give a push to first?

* * *

><p>Digging his feet into the hot sand Ichigo paused as a shiver raced up his spine and he looked around in suspicion. "That's odd…."<p>

"What's wrong?" Rukia asked, having seen his visual search.

"Nothing, I'm sure it's nothing. The old man isn't here after all." There was no way he could make trouble from way back home.

Isshin couldn't, but someone who had an equal sense of mischief making could.


End file.
